Dreams
by Amaya X Kyuri X Asuni
Summary: Amaya is the Avatar, on a journey to learn Waterbending. Between the duties of the Avatar and the normal problems of being a teenage girl, the journey won't be easy. Throw in a dash of romance and Amaya will be lucky to get out alive and sane. 'I will master the elements, I will defeat the Fire Lord, and I will do it before summer's end. Because I have to.' COMPLETE ZukoOC
1. In Which Amaya Appears

**T**wo figures were sprawled on a floating sheet of ice. Both of them were dressed in thick, blue, Water Tribe clothes. The boy was named Sokka. The girl, his sister, was Katara.

Both of them had the dark skin, darker hair, and bright blue eyes typical of the Water Tribe. Sokka's spear was further proof, a sharpened tusk attached to a bone. They were dressed warmly, in tunics and legging under their coats. The symbol of the Water Tribe was proudly emblazoned on their chests.

The spear was shoved in the ice behind them. Sokka and Katara were simply laying where they had landed, heads and arms over the edge, dangerously close to the freezing water.

"Okay," Sokka frowned. "You've gone from weird, to _freakish_ Katara."

"You mean _I_ did that?" Katara gasped in a small, frightened voice, staring at the place where the glacier she had just shattered used to be.

"Yup," Sokka nodded. Jokingly, he elbowed her and smiled. "Congratulations."

That was when the water, inches from their faces, began to bubble and glow a strange, bluish white color. Ripples spread as the section of glowing water grew. Gasping, Katara and Sokka skittered back from the edge of the ice float.

A huge, glowing mound of ice began to push through the water in front of them, rising slowly higher and higher. Katara and Sokka staggered as their ice patch shifted under their feet. Katara cried out.

Finally, a rounded globe of ice sat floating in the water before them, bobbing gently. Two dark shapes could be seen inside, one considerable larger than the other. The smaller shape looked vaguely… humanoid. It seemed to be the source of the glowing, bright blue arrows shining on his/her hands and forehead.

As Katara and Sokka stared in fear, awe, and interest, the glowing intensified, and the figure's eyes shot open. They too glowed a disturbing blue.

Katara and Sokka flinched and drew back, making small sounds of surprise.

"They're alive!" Katara exclaimed in shock, immediately, she dove for her brother's club strapped to his back. "We have to help!" She ran towards the iceberg, jumping from ice float to ice float.

"Katara, get back here!" Sokka ordered, chasing after her, snatching up his spear as he went. "We don't know what that thing is!"

Katara ignored him and began hammering on the ice with all her might, grunting with effort. It wasn't until the fifth hit that something happened. She broke through the ice shell and air, musty with age, but still smelling surprisingly fresh, blew the siblings to their knees. The force of the escaping pressure cracked the ice. Finally, the thin ice layer could take it no longer, and the dome exploded outward with a huge boom, sending bits of ice everywhere. A thick jet of blue light escaped, firing straight into the air for miles and miles.

* * *

><p>Not too far away, a young man stood on the deck of a Fire Navy ship, clad in fire Nation armor from head to toe. This man wore his hair in the traditional topknot of royalty. The most noticeable thing though, was not his pale sin, or his piercing golden eyes, or the dignity with which he carried himself, indicative of noble breeding.<p>

It was the scar.

The scar that stretched across his left eye. It was a horrible reddish brown, squinting his eye slightly and extending over an equally ruined ear. His eyebrow was singed away, the scar spilling down over his cheekbone.

This young man was Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.

"Finally," he murmured, staring at the beam of light that had oh so suddenly appeared on the horizon. "Uncle, do you realize what this means?" Zuko asked, turning to face the man he was addressing.

"I won't get to finish my game?" suggested his uncle, General Iroh, a pudgy, aging Firebender who sat before a table covered in tiles and tea cups.

"It means my search…," said the Prince. "It's about to come to an end."

Iroh sighed, looking back to his game. The small noise drew his nephew's attention back to him.

"That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!"

"Or it's just the celestial lights!" Iroh suggested, gesturing to the sky in an effort to keep his nephew from getting his hopes up. "We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing." Iroh paused, placing a tile in line with two others. "Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?"

"I don't need any calming tea!" Zuko yelled, whirling on his uncle. "I _need_ to capture the Avatar! Helmsman! Head a course for the light."

Iroh frowned at his tile, placing it down. A gust of wind made the tiles tremble and dragged his shirt sleeve around.

* * *

><p>Katara and Sokka stood slowly as the fierce wind ended, Sokka pointing his spear threateningly at the broken-open dome of the glacier. Steam curled through the air, twisting and dancing in the remaining breeze.<p>

Sokka and Katara held each other close, watching cautiously.

The figure from inside the iceberg appeared at the lip of the remaining dome, straining to push themselves to their feet. Their eyes still glowing, the figure stood on the lip, proud and intimidating, features indistinct in the light.

"Stop!" Sokka yelled, raising his spear higher.

The glow faded then, and the features of the figure could be seen. It was a girl, that much was certain, before she collapsed with a moan, sliding down the incline to land in front of the siblings.

Katara ran forwards, cradling the girl like a newborn baby. Sokka advanced more slowly, poking the girl's head with the blunt end of his spear.

"Stop it!" Katara snapped, reaching out an arm to hold her brother back. Once she was satisfied Sokka was done, Katara turned back to the girl, shifting her so that she was lying back against the icy incline she had just fallen down.

As they watched, her eyelids flickered slight. She groaned, before opening her eyes slowly, revealing a dark, stormy grey color.

"I," she moaned. "I need to ask you something."

"What?" Katara asked.

"Please, come closer."

"What is it?"

Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she grinned widely. "What's with the hair loopies?"

"Uh, I like them?" Katara replied, mildly unnerved. She leaned back, and the girl jumped up, seeming to float to her feet.

That was when Katara took stock of what she was wearing. It certainly wasn't Water Tribe. Her yellow shirt only reached to just under her breasts, which certainly wasn't suitable for the cold weather. It did reveal a surprisingly muscled core through. The shirt had an orange mandarin collar, and elbow-length sleeves that flared widely at her upper arm. Her skirt was plain yellow, with an orange belt at the top. Delicate strips of orange fabric circled her slender wrists. Her hair was light brown, a shade or two away from Katara's own, but pulled back tightly in a waist-length braid.

"Ah!" Sokka exclaimed, leveling his spear at her. She ignored it, looking around curiously at the empty tundra.

"What's going on here?" she asked, rubbing the back of her head and wincing. "Ow. Why does my head hurt?"

Katara shot a glare at Sokka, who, as usual, was oblivious.

"You tell us!" Sokka ordered. "How'd you get in the ice? And why aren't you frozen?" He poked at her exposed stomach with the end of his spear. Absently, she slapped it away, turning back to face the ice she had just escaped from.

Low groaning rumbled through the air then, and the girl gasped, scrambling up the incline and into a bowl-like depression on the other side.

"Appa!" exclaimed the girl, landing on her flying bison happily. She happily stroked his head. "Are you alright? Wake up, buddy!" She pulled up his eyelid, revealing a brownish grey eyeball that size of her head. She let it go, and the eyelid fell back in place.

She slipped off, landing in front of Appa. She tried lifting his head, but only succeeded in pulling up his top lip and scrunching up his nose.

At this point, Katara and Sokka had made their way around the ice wall, and were staring in shock and fear at the giant bison.

Suddenly, Appa lifted his head, sticking out his tongue and lifting the girl into the air on it.

"You're okay!" she chuckled happily, hitting the ground. She turned and hugged the bison's nose tightly. Grunting, Appa slowly heaved up his enormous body, rising to his feet.

"What _is_ that thing?" Sokka demanded, eyeing the monster edgily.

"This is Appa, my flying bison," grinned the girl, petting Appa's nose happily.

"Right," Sokka said skeptically. "And this is Katara, my flying sister."

The girl turned, recognizing the signs as Appa began sniffling, inhaling deeply, and opening his mouth. Just as Appa sneezed, she ducked, green bison snot flying over her head, landing on Sokka with a gross _splat_. Sokka immediately began scraping at his clothes, rubbing his face in the snow to try and get the snot off, making small disgusted noises the whole time.

"Don't worry," the girl chuckled. "It washes out."

"Ugh," Sokka groaned, pulling a hand away from his face, a nasty green bridge between the two.

"So, do you guys live around here?" she asked conversationally. Immediately, she found the business end of Sokka's spear in her face.

"Don't answer that!" he ordered. "Did you see that crazy bolt of light? She was probably trying to signal the Fire Navy!"

"Oh yeah," Katara teased, stepping towards the girl. "I'm sure she's a spy for the Fire Navy. You can tell by the evil look in her eye."

The girl promptly opened her eyes wide, putting on an innocent, 'who, me?' expression.

"The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka," Katara joked. "You never told us your name."

"I'm A-A-A…" Her face convulsed, nose twitching. Suddenly, she sneezed, vaulting several yards into the air, before sliding down the embankment to land before Katara with a hand extended. "I'm Amaya."

"You just sneezed!" Sokka exclaimed weakly. "And flew ten feet in the air!"

"Really?" Amaya asked, frowning at the sky. "It felt higher than that. Was that just me?"

Katara gasped as comprehension washed over her pretty features. "You're an Airbender!"

"Sure am!" Amaya announced proudly.

"Giant light beams, flying bison, Airbenders," Sokka listed. "I think I've got midnight sun madness. I'm going home to where stuff makes sense." He turned in the direction of home, only to see emptiness. Their boat was smashed, and they had no ice floats near them.

"Well if you guys are stuck, Appa and I can give you a lift," Amaya offered, twisted and springing onto Appa's nose. Another large hop and a twist, and she was settled on his head.

"We'd love a ride," Katara smiled. "Thanks!"

"Oh no!" Sokka protested. "I am not getting on that fluffy snot-monster."

"Are you hoping some other kind of monster will come along and give you a ride home?" Katara teased as she stepped into Appa's saddle. "You know, before you freeze to death?"

Sokka opened his mouth and raised a finger to reply, before sighing and climbing aboard. Freezing was a huge danger, especially since they were all wet. He sat in the back by Katara, propped his spear next to him, and crossed his arms, pouting.

"Okay," Amaya called cheerfully. "First time flyers, keep your hands, feet, and other objects inside the saddle at all times! Appa! Yip yip!"

Appa groaned and lifted his tail. He slammed it down, catapulting into the air, where he hung for a moment…

Before splashing into the water.

"Come on Appa, yip yip," Amaya coaxed, flicking the reins. "Come on!"

"Wow," Sokka drawled. "That was truly amazing. I am in awe. I've never seen anything more amazing."

Katara glared at her brother while Amaya explained. "Appa's just tired. A little rest and he'll be soaring through the sky. You'll see."

* * *

><p>Prince Zuko stood on the helm of his ship, a cloak flapping around him in the cold, South Pole wind. His golden eyes were staring out over the endless sea in front of him, but not really seeing it, not really seeing anything. Prince Zuko was lost in thought. About his mission, the Avatar, seeing his homeland again…<p>

From behind him, his uncle emerged.

"I'm going to bed now," commented Iroh. He yawned for effect. "Yep, a man _needs_ his rest." He frowned. His nephew continued to ignore him, staring out over the sea. "Prince Zuko, you need some sleep. Even if you are right, and the Avatar _is_ alive, you won't find him! Your father, grandfather, even your _great_-grandfather all tried and _failed_."

"Because their _honor_ didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does. This coward's hundred years in hiding are _over_!"

* * *

><p>Minutes later, Amaya, Sokka, and Katara were all lounging peacefully on Appa while he swam towards the Southern Water Tribe.<p>

"Hey," said Katara, crawling towards where Amaya was reclining against Appa's head, the wooden staff she carried tucked safely under her folded arms.

"Hey," Amaya replied. "What are you thinking about?"

"I guess I was wondering," Katara began hesitantly. "Your being an Airbender and all, if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar."

Katara didn't notice as Amaya tensed, a worried expression flicking across her face.

"Uh, no," Amaya replied nervously. "I didn't know him. I mean, I _knew_ people who knew him, but I didn't. Sorry."

"Okay," Katara accepted. "Just curious. Good night!"

"Sleep tight," Amaya winced, rolling over on her stomach and absently playing with Appa's thick fur. "Buddy, we have to be really careful."

"What was that?" Katara called from the saddle. "Did you say something?"

"Just talking to Appa," Amaya called back, smacking herself in the forehead.

* * *

><p><em>Amaya sat up, gasping, as wind yanked her braid around and lightning flickered only feet from her. She stared around helplessly as rain pelted her and Appa plummeted beneath her. She clung on with her legs, yelling frightfully and tugging the reins up, trying to get Appa to rise.<em>

_It was no use, however, and he splashed into the water beneath them with so much force, Amaya's vision blurred and blackened around the edges._

_Their heads broke the surface for just a minute, before a wave slammed them back underneath the sea. Amaya drifted, unconscious, the reins slipping from her hand as she and Appa slowly sank._

_Suddenly she snarled, her eyes flying open as her blue arrow tattoos glowed. She crossed her legs, slamming her fists together so the arrows pointed at each other. Wind whipped around her, pulling Appa in, encasing them both. The water around them whirled, freezing over._

"Amaya? Amaya? Amaya, wake up!"

Amaya shot up, gasping as the sheets bunched around her waist. Katara was crouched next to her, looking concerned.

"It's okay," Katara encouraged. "We're in the village now. Come on, get ready, everyone's waiting to meet you!"

Amaya tugged her shirt back in place, before Katara griped her arm and stared walking to the center of the village, Amaya staggering along behind.

"Amaya, this is the entire village. Entire village, Amaya."

"Hi entire village! I'm Amaya!" Amaya chirped. The villagers shrank back, pulling their children closer. Amaya frowned. "What's with them? Did Appa sneeze on me?"

"Well no one has seen an Airbender in a hundred years," said an old woman, stepping forwards. "We thought they were extinct. Until my granddaughter and grandson found you."

"Extinct?" Amaya frowned. "Why?"

Amaya, this is my grandmother," Katara smiled.

"Call me Gran-Gran," deadpanned the old woman.

"What is this?" Sokka demanded, marching up and stealing Amaya's staff. "A weapon? You can't stab anything with this!"

"It isn't for stabbing," Amaya shrugged, pulling it back into her hand. "It's for Airbending." Amaya twisted her wrist and two sets of wings, one wider than the other, extended from the sides.

"Magic trick!" giggled a little girl. "Do it again!"

"Not magic," Amaya shook her head. "Airbending. It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly."

"You know last time I checked," Sokka sneered. "Human's can't fly."

"Check again," Amaya grinned wickedly. She placed the glider behind her, gripped the wings, and jumped, taking off into the air. She tilted and did loops, before slamming into a snow wall.

"Ow," she mumbled, sliding down.

"My watchtower!" Sokka cried in horror.

"That was amazing!" Katara said, sticking out her hand for Amaya to grab. She took it, hauling herself upright. She twirled her glider and it turned back into a staff.

"Great," Sokka grumbled. "You're an Airbender, Katara's a Waterbender. Together you can just waste time all day long." With that, he stomped off.

"You're a Waterbender?" Amaya asked curiously.

"Well, sort of," Katara shrugged. "Not really."

"Alright, enough playing. Katara, you have chores," ordered Gran-Gran, leading her granddaughter away.

* * *

><p>Zuko stood across from two Fire Navy soldiers, tense and on guard.<p>

"Again," Iroh said calmly.

Zuko shot fire at both soldiers, who both dodged. He ducked under a stream from one soldier, and leapt over a tongue of flame from the other, firing from a foot and fist at a different soldier. He landed upright, in a firm stance, a fist aimed at each soldier.

"No!" Iroh sighed, heaving himself upright. "Power in Firebending comes from the breath, not the muscles! The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire!" Iroh punched at his nephew, sending a stream of fire at his face that stopped an inch short of Zuko's nose. He didn't blink. "Get it right this time!"

"Enough!" Zuko snarled, stepping forwards. "I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready."

"No, you're impatient!" Iroh corrected him, sitting back down. "You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again!"

Zuko growled, kicking out at the soldier behind him, sending him flying with a gout of flame.

"The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last Airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master all four elements. I'll need more than basic Firebending to defeat him. You _will_ teach me the advanced set!"

"Very well," Iroh caved. "But first, I must finish my roast duck." Zuko drew back in disgust as his uncle began shoveling strips of meat into his mouth.

* * *

><p>"Have you seen Amaya?" Katara asked Sokka. "Gran-Gran said she disappeared over an hour ago."<p>

"Wow, everything freezes in there," Amaya joked, emerging from the bathroom.

"Ugh!" Sokka exclaimed. "Katara get her out of here! This lesson is for warriors only!"

"Whee!"

The siblings turned to see the 'warriors' sliding down Appa's tail.

"Stop!" Sokka yelled, scrambling over. "Stop it right now! What's wrong with you?" he demanded of Amaya, grabbing the spear Appa's tail was balanced on. "We don't have time for fun and games with a war going on!"

"What war?" Amaya asked, sliding down Appa's back.

"You're kidding right?" Sokka asked in shock. Suddenly, Amaya giggled loudly.

"Penguin!" she screamed, racing after the fuzzy creature. "So cute!"

"She's kidding, right?" Sokka asked Katara. Katara shrugged helplessly, and chased after Amaya and the penguin.

* * *

><p>"How did you get me to agree to this?" Katara moaned as they wandered through the Fire navy ship.<p>

"I told you benders need to face their fear," Amaya said sheepishly. "Not my best advice, I guess. Hey, what did Sokka mean about a war?"

"The war with the Fire Nation," Katara frowned. Amaya looked up sharply.

"What? I have friends in the Fire Nation, and I haven't heard anything about a war!"

"Amaya," Katara began slowly. "How long were you in the iceberg?"

"A few days, maybe a week," Amaya shrugged carelessly, examining a weapons rack. She twirled a spear, flipping it expertly.

"I think it was more like a hundred years!" Katara exclaimed.

Amaya chuckled. "Come on Katara, don't be stupid!"

"It makes sense though!" Katara pressed. "The war has been going on for a hundred years! But you don't know about it! Somehow, you were in there that whole time!"

Amaya staggered backwards, leaning against the wall before sliding to the floor as logic pounded into her brain.

"A hundred years," she whimpered, staring at the cool metal floor. Suddenly, she felt a lot colder. She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "All my friends… They're dead. Kuzon, Bumi… All of them."

"I'm sorry Amaya," Katara soothed. "But come on, there has to be a silver lining."

"Oh yes, I met Sokka, the love of my life," Amaya teased weakly. Katara giggled and Amaya joined in.

"There you go!" Katara grinned. "You can be my sister-in-law! And you met me," she pointed out.

"Eh, you're okay," Amaya shrugged, standing up. "Come on, let's look around some more!"

"Amaya, this place gives me the creeps," Katara said as they walked into another room.

Amaya tripped, catching herself a bit before she hit the floor and hovering back into place. Grates slammed over the doors and machinery began to vibrate. They flew to the window, watching as a huge ball of light flew into the air.

"Hold on or you're dead!" Amaya ordered, scooping up Katara and hauling her through a hole in the roof. Lightly, she leapt from level to level, finally landing on the ground. Katara and Amaya raced towards the village, unaware that they were being watched.

"The last Airbender," Zuko grinned, staring at the two figures through his telescope. "Agile for his old age. Wake my uncle!" he ordered a crewman. "Tell him I found the Avatar." Zuko returned to the telescope, following the path of the two figures. He spotted a village with snow walls. "And his hiding place."

* * *

><p>The fireball could still be seen arcing in the sky as Katara and Amaya trudged back to the village.<p>

"Yay!" cried the children, racing towards Amaya, happy to see their 'magical' friend. The adults were colder however. They grasped the danger.

"I knew it!" Sokka stepped forwards, one finger out accusingly. "You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare. You're leading them straight to us!"

"Oh would you get a grip?" Amaya demanded. She was tired of Sokka's stupid paranoia.

"Amaya didn't mean to!" Katara defended her.

"We were on the ship, and we didn't see the tripwire," Amaya explained. "It was buried in the snow!"

"Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship!" Gran-Gran frowned, disappointed in the girl. "Now we could all be in danger!"

"I brought her there," Amaya admitted. "It's my fault."

"Aha!" Sokka exclaimed. "The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy! The foreigner is banished from our village!"

"Keep talking," Amaya encouraged in a growl. "I'm full of nervous energy right now, and just _itching_ to fight."

"Sokka, you're making a mistake!" Katara protested, glaring at her brother.

"No, I'm keeping my promise to dad," Sokka snarled. "I'm protecting you from threats like her!"

"Amaya's not a threat!" Katara exclaimed. "Don't you see? She brought us something we haven't had in a long time! Fun!"

"Fun?" Sokka repeated incredulously. "You can't Firebenders with fun."

"Try it," Amaya suggested. "You'd be surprised."

"Get out of our village! Now!" Sokka ordered.

"Grandmother, please!" Katara begged. "Don't let him to this!"

"Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden," Gran-Gran sighed. "Sokka's right. I think it's time the Airbender leaves."

"Fine!" Katara snapped. "Then I'm banished too! Come on, Amaya, let's go!" Katara grabbed Amaya's arm and dragged her towards Appa.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sokka demanded.

"To the North Pole!" Katara replied angrily. "Amaya's taking me to find a Waterbending Master!"

"I am?" Amaya blinked, surprised. They had talked about it, but she didn't think Katara would actually go with her. "Cool!"

"Katara!" Sokka exclaimed, startled. "Would you really choose her over your tribe? Your own family?"

Amaya paused, wincing. She knew what it was like to grow up without family around you. She was one of the lucky ones, she had Gyatso. Katara would have no one but her.

"You're staying here," Amaya ordered Katara. "I'm not okay with breaking up a family."

"So, you're leaving the South Pole?" Katara asked sadly as Amaya mounted Appa.

"Yeah, guess so."

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know," Amaya shrugged. "I guess I'll look for the other Airbenders." She frowned. "Wow. I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. I'm really not looking forwards to that." She turned to the villagers. "It was nice meeting everybody."

"Let's see your bison fly now Airbrat," Sokka sneered.

"Come on boy," Amaya said cheerfully. "Yip yip!"

Appa just stood.

"Thought so!" Sokka called tauntingly. Suddenly, a little girl broke from the huddle, wailing, and ran to stand by Katara.

"Don't go Amaya, I'll miss you!" pleaded the girl.

"I've got to," Amaya cooed to the child. "Sorry. Come on boy." She flicked the reins and Appa turned, walking away.

Gran-Gran approached her granddaughter.

"Katara," she began. "You'll feel better in-"

"You happy now?" Katara snarled, whirling. "There goes my one chance at becoming a Waterbender." Katara stomped away angrily.

* * *

><p>Amaya hadn't gone far before Appa needed to rest again. He was still recovering from the effort in the storm that had almost killed them. They were nestled in a little hole in the ice formation, Amaya stroking Appa's head as she stared over the water. Petting Appa always managed to sooth her. There was something calming about it.<p>

"Well, that ended well," she said sarcastically, rolling onto her back with a huff. Appa groaned in response. "Yeah, it was nice." The bison groaned again. "Sokka _is_ a butt face, you're right. Appa, what would I do without you buddy?"

She turned on her side, curling up and closing her eyes. Amaya blinked as water droplets settled on her eyelids, then gasped and sat up as she saw the dim outline of a hulking ship sailing for the village.

"That can't be good," she mumbled. "Oh, this is really bad! Appa, stay here!"

Amaya twirled her staff, extending the wings, heading as fast as she dared for the village. The boat was fast though, and by the time she had caught up to it, it had cracked through the ice and the village wall. Steam hissed into the air as she circled overhead, watching.

With a great metallic groan, the gangway lowered, slamming to the ground. Some of the weaker snow structures collapsed. The shadow of three men appeared at the top of the stairs. They descended and their faces came into view. Two were obviously common soldiers, faces covered by the Fire Navy skull mask. They were flanking the one in the middle. That one was in charge; it was clear by how their heads were turned slightly towards him.

Amaya watched as Sokka charged the one in the middle, taking a little vengeful pleasure as he was knocked on his butt. She swooped lower, watching as more soldiers poured out. The one in the middle paced along the row of villagers, watching them.

"Where are you hiding him?" Amaya heard him say. His voice sounded so… young.

The villagers were scared silent, until he reached forwards and yanked someone from the lineup. They whimpered, drawing back in fear. Gran-Gran was pulled forwards.

"He'd be about this age!" roared the man. "Master of all elements!" Amaya paled. He wanted _her._

When there was no response, he threw Gran-Gran back into the crowd, not caring when she staggered. He stretched out a fist, sending a threatening wave of fire over the villager's heads. They screamed in terror. A few of the younger children began crying.

"I know you're hiding him!" the man snapped.

Suddenly, Sokka was on his feet, yelling as he rushed the Firebender.

Oh yes, give him a warning, very intelligent, Amaya rolled her eyes.

This time things were more violent, involving fire and spears. Sokka was defeated again, however, and left lying in the snow. He crawled back to Katara, who placed her hands on his shoulders.

Amaya pulled back sharply as something whirled past her. Sokka's boomerang. She smiled as it hit the man's helmet, knocking it askew. The man growled, straightening. Two fiery daggers appeared, one in each hand. Amaya gulped. That was her cue.

Amaya swooped down overhead, kicking the man's helmet as she passed.

"Mind your head!" she called as she landed. "Hey Katara. Hey Sokka."

"Hi Amaya," Sokka deadpanned, mildly embarrassed. "Thanks for coming."

Amaya smiled, turning to face the man with her staff in a ready position. The man gestured and she saw the soldiers fan out around her, three with spears, and three without. In front of her, the man took a ready position.

"He?" Amaya asked conversationally. "_He? Really?_ I mean, I may not be the most _feminine _girl around, but _he?_ I'm a little offended, I gotta tell you."

"What are you talking about?" demanded the man.

"Why do you think the Avatar's a man?" she asked, grinning slyly.

"Because… That's what the sages tell us!"

"You may want to have your sages checked," Amaya chuckled. "It's me you're looking for."

"You?" the man repeated in shock.

Amaya swished her staff from side to side, burying the two rows of soldiers in piles of snow. Another flick and a wall of snow flew towards the man across from her. Really, he was her age. A boy.

When the snow fell, she was surprised to see him still upright, so she continued speaking as the snow melted off of him.

"If you want the Avatar, yeah."

"_You're _the Airbender?" he demanded. "_You're_ the Avatar?"

"Amaya?" Katara questioned.

"No way!" Sokka said, surprised.

He circled, and Amaya matched him step for step, staff held at the ready.

"I've spent years preparing for this encounter," the boy hissed. "Training. Meditating. You're just a girl!"

"So, you had no life then, is that what you're saying?" Amaya asked, ignoring the comment about her gender.

The boy twisted his arms, sending a jet of fire at her. Amaya twirled her staff, diffusing it and grinning manically. It had always worried the monks how much she loved sparring, and _this_… This was _real_. This felt _amazing_.

She continued twirling, diffusing jet after jet as they circled. From behind her, Amaya heard screaming as the remnants of his fire scattered around her. Towards the villagers. One scream, high pitched, from a little girl, pierced the air. She felt a tug on her heart. She couldn't do this to them.

Amaya stopped twirling.

"If I go with you, will you leave them alone and not hurt anyone?" she asked, keeping her stance ready for action in case he refused.

He didn't respond verbally, just nodded once. Slowly. Up. Down.

Two soldiers stepped forwards. One took her staff and they each grabbed an arm, hauling her towards the ship.

"No Amaya!"

Amaya twisted to look over her shoulder uncomfortably to see Katara stepping forwards looking worried.

"Don't do this!"

"Come on, you know I could take them in my sleep," Amaya called confidently. "I'll be fine! Make sure Appa's alright for me, would you? Tell him I'll find him soon!"

She turned back around, instantly dropping her cocky smile for a look of worry.

"Head a course for the Fire Nation!" called the boy, the leader, to his soldiers as they all stepped inside. "I'm going home!"

The soldiers lined up, facing the villagers. Amaya bowed as well as she was able as the gangway went up, trying to reassure the villagers, who all looked worried and scared.

"See you soon!" she called.

The gangway slammed into place.

* * *

><p>Katara stood alone, staring out over the sea in the direction the ship had gone, like she could make it come back by staring hard enough.<p>

"We have to go after that ship Sokka," she said determinedly as her brother moved around behind her. "Amaya saved the village! That guy could have killed us all! Now we have to save her."

"Katara," Sokka started.

"Why can't you realize that she's on our side? If we don't help her, who will? No one else knows she exists! I get that you don't really like Amaya that much, but we do owe her for what she did, and-!"

"KATARA!" Sokka yelled, cutting off her rant. Katara turned in surprise to see Sokka standing beside a canoe, loaded with provisions and ready to travel. "Are you going to shut up and come with me, or just stand here and yell?"

Katara grinned, running forwards and hugging Sokka.

"Come on, we're going to save your best friend."

"Aw, you're my best friend," Katara said in a rare moment of affection for her brother.

"I'm touched, truly," Sokka replied in a monotone.

"What do you two think you're doing?"

Sokka and Katara froze, wincing, before they turned to face their grandmother. She stood with a firm expression on her face, hands on hip. Gran-Gran meant business.

Suddenly she smiled, holding out pair of thick blankets wrapped around a few provisions. "You'll need these. It's going to be a long, cold trip." Gran-Gran approached her granddaughter. "It's been so long since I've had hope, but you and your friend have brought it back, my little Waterbender." She handed the bundle to Katara before turning to Sokka. "And you, my brave warrior. Be nice to your sister."

"Yeah, yeah," Sokka said absently.

Gran-Gran stepped back, looking between the two. "Amaya is the Avatar. She is the only hope for the world now. There is a reason your two were the ones who found her, and because you did, now your destinies are intertwined."

Katara looked back to their little canoe, contemplating the extremeness of what she and Sokka were about to start. Something occurred to her then.

"A war ship is too fast to catch in a canoe. Besides, they have a head start."

_Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr._

The ground shook as Appa appeared over a little snow drift.

"Appa!" Katara grinned, running towards the bison. "He's definitely fast enough."

Sokka sighed. "You just love making me do stuff I don't like, don't you?"

"Oh yes," Katara grinned as Sokka followed her.

* * *

><p>Amaya was held tight by two Fire Navy soldiers, pinned in place across from the boy who started all this. He had a hold of her staff and was running his hands over it, examining it curiously.<p>

"This will make an excellent gift for my father," he mused. Then he looked up at her with a sadistic smirk. "But I suppose you don't know anything about fathers, being raised by monks."

Amaya yawned. "You know, I really like to know who my captors are when I get kidnapped. It's just good manners."

"I am Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation," replied the boy, standing tall and proud.

"Forgive me for not bowing," Amaya smiled sarcastically. "I'm a bit… how would you say, tied up?"

"Take the avatar to the prison hold!" ordered the boy angrily. He shoved the staff to a fat old man next to him. "And take this to my quarters."

Amaya walked along willingly as she was escorted below deck, occasionally staggering as the soldier behind her shoved her.

"You know, I'd probably move faster if you'd quit trying to knock me over," Amaya commented.

"No talking, prisoner," barked the soldier in front of her. His voice sounded strangely strained through the face mask.

"Fine, no talking," Amaya said agreeably. She dropped to the ground, kicking out at the soldier's knees. He crumpled weakly, caught off guard. Amaya jumped back to her feet, back flipped over the soldier behind her. Her bonds caught on his helmet spike, strained for a moment, cutting into her wrist, and then snapped.

Amaya twisted quickly and kicked off his back, gaining more momentum and shoving him to the floor, hard. She inhaled sharply and turned around when she landed to see if the Fire Navy soldiers were on their feet yet. They were still crumpled. One looked unconscious, the other was rubbing his head.

She exhaled forcefully, blasting herself backwards. She winced as the stairs caught her back, but leapt upwards all the same, landing in a ready position on the deck above. No one was there, so that was one worry gone. With a jump spin kick, she sent a concentrated wall of air slamming into the metal door high royal scarred-ness had gone through. It flew open and she ran inside frantically.

The cry she had been dreading sounded behind her. "The Avatar has escaped!"

Drat, now everyone knew she was free.

* * *

><p>"… Go. Fly. Soar. Ascend," Sokka said dully from Appa's saddle. They were trying to get the flying bison to fly, but it was proving more difficult than they had thought.<p>

"Please Appa, come on," Katara asked, flicking the reins. "Amaya needs your help, she's in trouble."

"Up. Ascend. Elevate," Sokka continued reeling off. Katara frowned. His monotone droning was starting to grate on her ears.

"Come on Appa," Katara encouraged. "I know you can fly, but Sokka doesn't think you can. But you'll have to prove him wrong, won't you? Come on Appa, fly! We've got to save Amaya!"

was the reply she got.

"What was it she kept saying to him?" Sokka mused. "She kept saying something. Yeehaw? Hup hup? Wahoo? Yip Yip?"

Appa groaned loudly. His tail slapped twice at the water below him and then suddenly… he was flying!

"He's flying!" Katara he's flying! He can really-!' Sokka paused to see his sister's 'told you so' look. "I mean, great, so what, he can fly."

* * *

><p>Amaya was starting to get tired from her constant running, looking from room to room for her staff.<p>

"Gah!" she exclaimed as she rounded a corner and almost ran straight into three soldiers with drawn swords. "Hey, have you seen a staff, about yay tall?"

They yelled, charging her.

"I'll take that as a no!" Amaya yelled, hitting the ground and sliding between their legs. She hit a wall and jumped up through an open hatch, only to find yet another soldier standing in front of her. Fire streamed from his upraised palm. Amaya hastily inhaled and blew out, sending the fire swirling back towards the soldier, who yelped and ended the stream, dropping to the ground and trying to put out his smoking shirt.

Amaya darted past him, going door to door looking frantically for her staff. Weapons, bunks… Random sleeping guy.

"Sorry," Amaya apologized, even though she hadn't actually woken him. Then again, she was the sort of person who walked into doors and apologized.

With the door shut securely behind her, she skidded down the hall again, racing past an open door, and… Wait…

She turned around, peering through the open door. It was someone's room, that was fairly obvious. It was richly decorated with banners and tapestries with the Fire Nation emblem. And leaning against a table was her staff. Eagerly, she darted inside, snatching it happily. She grinned at it for a moment.

_Clang._

"Drat!" Amaya snapped, whirling. There was the Prince, his hand still on the door he had thrown shut. Apparently he had been concealed behind it the whole time, waiting for her.

"Looks like I underestimated you," he hissed.

"Eh, don't feel bad," Amaya shrugged. "You aren't the first. You probably won't be the last."

He went low, swept one foot across, and punched out, sending a fireball at her. She slipped to the side, twirling away. Fireball after fireball flew at her, and each time Amaya twisted out of the way. Suddenly, she found herself pinned in a corner, the Prince preparing for another blast.

"You wanna dance?" she asked, eyes glinting, adrenaline pumping. "Let's dance!" She skipped out of the corner, slipped easily under the blast, and easily ducked behind him, following his moves as he twisted, trying to get an angle with which to attack. Amaya stayed determinedly behind him, laughing.

She twined a leg around one calf, simultaneously jerking and slamming her heel into his ankle. Most unwillingly, he went down on one knee. Amaya skipped in front of him.

"No need to bow to me, prince," she teased, bending down to his level.

The Prince yelled angrily, leaping up and firing at her as Amaya skittered backwards, a little behind him. He was now working too fast to dodge, so her only chance was to divert the flames to the side with little rushes of air.

Suddenly he was too close to avoid anything. Amaya wrapped his flaming fist in a small orb of air, putting it out. She braced a foot on his bent knee and pushed up, adding momentum by kicking off his chest, sending the Prince staggering back a few steps. She formed a larger air orb, balancing on it on one foot, crossing the other over.

Then she was on the walls and ceiling as much as anything, circling the Prince. He spun after her, fire flying in wide whips all around him. Amaya gasped and dropped from the wall to the floor, avoiding a stray tongue of flame. Zuko stretched out a foot, disrupting her orb. Amaya went flying, slamming into the wall.

"Now we're playing!" she grinned, leaping up over his next attack and seizing the edge of a tapestry. She flew around him, concealed by the folds as she wrapped the fabric around the struggling Prince. Amaya went for her staff again.

"Ha!"

Amaya seized it and whirled to see the Prince free again, angrier than ever, and glaring right at her. They circled, and Amaya's eyes darted around, looking for anything she could use.

"Why are you smiling?" demanded the prince, who was snarling himself.

"Because I'm loving this," Amaya replied, jerking her staff to the side. His mattress flew up, slamming him into the wall. It peeled back onto the ground almost comically, the groaning Prince still on top. Amaya raised her staff again, throwing him to the ceiling. She was gone before he hit the ground again.

Amaya ran through the hallways, with one goal in mind. Up. Up mean sky. Sky meant air, ad that meant freedom for her, or at least the advantage. Her dark grey eyes caught on a closed hatch above her. Spinning, she created her own cyclone of air, unlocking the door. As she flew up, so did the hatch.

She landed lightly, quietly in the room above, only to see she was in the control room. The captain was there, of course, but thankfully no one else was. And beyond him was a door out onto the helm.

Amaya ran for it, leaping over instruments that were undoubtedly more expensive than anything she had ever owned. She smiled as she burst into the air, feeling the wind embrace her. She rushed for the railing, throwing her glider at the precise moment, wings open, so that it hung before her. She leapt fearlessly over the railing, seized the glider, and soared out over the man deck of the ship.

Amaya exhaled, shoulders sagging, thinking that she had escaped, that she was home free.

"Arrrg!"

Her ankle jerked, something warm closing around it and pulling it off the glider. She looked down. The Fire prince himself was dangling from her leg, pulling her back to the deck. She couldn't keep them up, his weight was too much.

"Let go!" she yelled.

"You're not getting away," he growled.

"Let go or we're both going down!"

"No," he refused. He tugged on her ankle. Amaya's concentration faltered as her joint twisted painfully, and they changed from steeply descending to just falling.

Both of them hit the hard metal deck. Amaya winced, groaning as her head slammed into the deck, but she felt the comforting wood of her glider under her. Slowly she raised her head. The Prince was already halfway to his feet. Amaya leapt up and they both took their favored stances.

_Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggg _

Amaya grinned happily. She'd know that sound anywhere.

"Appa!" she cried out, turning to see her bison flying towards the ship. Two tiny figures could be seen riding him. "Sokka! Katara!"

"What is that?" the Fire Prince exclaimed, at a loss.

"My ride," Amaya grinned, still staring happily at Appa.

The roar of flames brought her attention back to the very real enemy in front of her. She was barely able to raise her staff before the wall of flame hit her, throwing her towards the edge of the ship. Amaya cried out in pain as her back slammed into the rail. Her feet were suddenly not so steady under her. Her glider flew from her hand as she tried to catch herself.

There was a moment of frantic scrambling, and then she was back on her feet. Already, another sheet of fire was headed for her. She diverted that, and the next one, and the next one, but the one after that came faster than she anticipated. Amaya leapt up and back, trying to avoid the heat. Her feet were suddenly on a rounded band of metal. She was on the railing, off balance, a sheet of fire coming towards her, with no way to block it and not fall.

Calmly, Amaya raised her arms to block the heat, and allowed herself to be knocked into the ocean.

It was calm down here, Amaya mused, with the chilly, silky water slipping around her as she sank. It was nice and dark too. Oh wait, her eyes were closed. Ah well, it was still nice. Silent and soothing. It would be a nice place to die.

Then a noise reached her ears, breaking the silence.

"-aya. Amaya! AMAYA!" Katara screamed. Something about that plea worked its way into Amaya's failing consciousness.

Was she really giving up? Had she really been thinking of just giving up and dying?

_NO!_ something inside her shouted. Power swelled inside her body, power she didn't really understand or know the limits of. She just knew it was hers and she could use it.

A determined snarl carved across her face as her eyes and tattoos glowed a familiar blue. Forcing her tired muscles to cooperate, filling them with the energy from this new, unending spring of power, Amaya whirled like a top in the water, propelling herself to the surface.

Suddenly she was staring at the world with new eyes, high in the air. There was a ship bathed in red flame, and a bison coated in blue. Water rubbed soothingly around her waist and legs, begging her to use it.

She descended towards the ship, feeling the metal under her feet acutely. In fact, everything was amplified. The rushing sound of water, a reassuring hardness beneath her feet, even the Prince's wide, golden eyes could be seen clearly.

She instinctively bent the swirling vortex of water to her whim, it whirled in a wide ring around her, just for a moment, before she flung her arms out to the side. The ring flew out, slamming into the enemies around her and sending them flying.

Suddenly, the strength that had been filling her up, calling seductively for her to use it, disappeared, leaving her drained and weak. Amaya's eyes fluttered shut, she didn't have the strength to keep them open. For a moment, she fought to stay upright, but it was too much of a struggle. She fell eagerly into the waiting blackness.

"Amaya!" Like it had before, a concerned voice brought her back to life. Amaya felt herself floating up out of the blackness. She had strength again. Not the strength from before, but her old strength.

"Are you all right?" Katara asked, trying to get Amaya to her feet.

"Hey," Amaya greeted weakly. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to rescue you," Katara explained. "But I think you had that covered."

"Besides, I have to have some of the glory," Sokka teased.

Amaya's fingers curled, searching for the familiar wood of her staff.

"I dropped my glider," she murmured, frowning. "Huh. When did that happen?"

"There it is!" Sokka said, spotting the thin piece of wood on the deck not too far away. He stepped over Amaya and ran for it, bending over and grabbing it. But he wasn't the only one.

A pale hand reached over the side of the boat, grabbing onto the staff before Sokka could pull it away. Sokka drew back in alarm at the Fire Prince, clinging to the staff to keep from falling into the ocean below.

For a moment, Sokka tugged on the staff, trying to pull it away from the determined Prince. He was stronger though, and refused to let go. Trying another approach, Sokka, rammed the end of the stick into the prince's head until her let go, grasping for something to hold onto frantically. His fingers caught hold of the anchor's chain and he hung there, glaring up at Sokka hatefully.

"That's from the Water Tribe!" Sokka said triumphantly.

On deck, the soldiers were starting to stir as Amaya settled wearily on Appa. The rose, advancing towards Katara. She glanced around fearfully. Amaya was too tired to be useful, Sokka was too far away, she didn't know any commands for Appa, and to top it all off, her feet were wet.

Wet.

Katara let her arms flow, remembering the peaceful swell of the ocean breaking against ice. The water followed her lead, swishing around. The soldiers drew back, surprised. Then Katara made a mistake, whipping her arms the wrong way. The water flew behind her, freezing.

"Katara!" Sokka yelled angrily as the water rose around his feet and froze, locking him in place.

Okay, new plan, Katara thought. She turned her backs to the soldiers, not entirely alright with doing so, and repeated the move, praying to the ocean and moon that this worked.

Katara heard the distinctive crack of ice behind her, and turned. There were the soldiers, frozen in blocks of ice, straining to get free. Pride swelled inside her and she wanted to remain behind and admire her handiwork. But then Katara remembered that they were on a Fire Navy ship. She ran for Appa, climbing up as fast as she could.

"Hurry up Sokka!" she yelled.

"Just a guy with a boomerang," Sokka complained, chipping at the ice around his feet. "I didn't ask for all of this flying, and… and magic!" EH broke free, grabbed Amaya's staff, and streaked for Appa as well, running up the bison's wide tail, yelling "yip yip!" as he did.

Within seconds, Appa was in the air and moving away.

"Shoot them down!" came the cry from the ship, and Amaya recognized the voice. The Prince was attacking Appa! Suddenly, she wasn't so tired anymore. Amaya leapt back to the edge of the saddle, watching the oncoming fireball. Angrily, she swung her staff with all her might, a huge gust of air redirecting the fireball into the ice wall beside them.

Ice rumbled and cracked as it melted. Snow and huge chunks of frozen water plummeted, directly for the Fire Navy ship.

"Ha ha!" Sokka cheered. "Whoo!"

"Yeah!" Katara added.

* * *

><p>"Good news for the Fire Lord," Iroh said as he rose. "The Fire Nation's greatest threat is just a teenage girl."<p>

"That girl," Zuko snapped. "Just did all this, uncle." He gestured to the mound of snow and ice holding them securely in place. "I'm not going to underestimate her again. Dig the ship out and follow them!"

The soldiers who were defrosting their compatriots looked up at him.

"As soon as you're done with that."

* * *

><p>It was easy to imagine heaven up in the sky. Appa and his passengers were surrounded by golden-hued clouds hanging all around them, like drops of rain frozen in time. Their reflection dyed the water beneath them gold as well. It was like floating through a gilded tunnel.<p>

"How did you do that?" Katara demanded eagerly, asking the question Amaya had been dreading. "With the water! It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

Amaya shrugged tiredly. "I don't know. I just knew that I could."

Katara's voice went from excited ad awed to slightly hurt as she asked her next question. "Why didn't you tell us that you were the Avatar."

"I don't want to be," Amaya replied. There was silence for a moment.

"Amaya," Katara began hesitantly. "The world has been waiting for the Avatar to return and end the war, to put the world back to rights."

"And how do I do that, huh?" Amaya asked. "Do you know? Because I sure don't."

"Well," Katara mused. "All the legends say you need to master water, then earth, then fire, right?"

Amaya nodded.

"Well, the North Pole could have someone to teach you," she suggested.

"We could learn together!" Amaya said happily.

"And Sokka would probably get to knock some Firebenders black and blue," Katara coaxed her brother.

"That would be nice," Sokka replied wistfully.

"Then we're in this together!" Katara grinned.

"Alright," Amaya agreed. "But before we head to the North Pole, some things have to be handled. She pulled out a map and spread it out on Appa's saddle, pointing to three little circles. "Here, here, and here."

"What's there?" Katara asked eagerly.

"Here we ride the hopping llamas," Amaya said happily. "Then we surf on the back of giant koi fish! And over here, we ride the hog monkeys. They're not really big on the whole 'being ridden' thing, but that's why it's fun!"


	2. In Which Amaya Looses It

**"**Wait til you see it Katara!" Amaya said for the third time since they got up half an hour ago. She had been disturbingly giddy since she started recognizing landmarks around the Southern Air Temple. "It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen!"

"Amaya," Katara cautioned. "I know you're excited, but the thing is, you've been away for a hundred years."

"Well duh," Amaya chuckled. "That's why I'm happy to go back!"

"A lot can happen in a century," Katara reasoned.

"I've just got to see home again, Katara. I can't explain it, but I do," Amaya shrugged, slipping off Appa and striding over to Sokka, who was still fast asleep and snoring in his sleeping bag. "Come on Sokka, up and at 'em. We' should be at the Temple in a few hours!"

"Temple later," Sokka groaned, rolling over. "Sleep now. Sleep _good._"

Amaya rolled her eyes and grinned wickedly. "Oh my gosh!" she yelled. "Something's taking all our food!"

"What? Where? I'll kill it!" Sokka cried, leaping upright. Rather he tried to. His legs got tangled in the sleeping bag. Sokka fell forwards, slamming his chin into the ground.

"Well, now that Sokka's up and excited for the day, let's go," Amaya said cheerfully, leaping smoothly onto Appa.

* * *

><p><em>Zuko twisted and turned furiously. All around him, tapestries emblazoned with the Fire Nation symbol were flipping, circling around and around him. They didn't wrap around him, but occasionally an edge would flutter against him arm or his leg. <em>

_Suddenly, laughter sounded around him, echoing. He couldn't see who was laughing. He recognized it though. It was wild and free, relishing. It was the Avatar laughing, like she had when they fought their way around his room._

"_Can't catch me, can't catch me," her voice taunted. He turned frantically, trying to find her, to catch her. All he could see was the tapestries as they swirled around him._

"_Let's dance," said a voice in his ear. Zuko whirled. Behind him stood the Avatar, laughing happily. She skipped forward lightly, smiling at him. Deftly, the Avatar took his hand in hers, placing his other on her hip. Her free hand landed on his shoulder. _

_She pulled him along through the tapestries, laughing as they danced. He tried to pull away, to reach forwards and grab her, to catch her, but he found that he couldn't._

"_You won't catch me Prince," she smiled, like she knew what he was trying to do. "Come on Zuko, dance with me!"_

_His muscles were no longer his to control. He steered the Avatar through the tapestries like he had been taught as a child. She smiled widely at him. _

"_Is this really so bad?" she chuckled. "I won't bite, I promise."_

_Suddenly she pulled away, sliding out of view behind a tapestry. The fabric slid in front of his eyes, and he couldn't see. He clawed at the fabric, trying pull it away. _

_Then the fabric was simply gone, and he found himself lying on the ground, staring up at his father. He knew this scene, he knew it all too well, he dreamt it all too often. The worst part was, it wasn't a dream._

_His father towered over him, his fist drawn back to attack. He punched, fire covering his fist, flying towards his face. Zuko closed his eyes, feeling the heat of the fire, and then…_

"_No!" _

_He looked up to see the Avatar standing over Ozai's crumpled figure. Her tattoos and eyes glowed, then faded. She turned to look at him, walking over and kneeling by his side. _

"_Are you alright, Zuko?" she asked softly. Zuko stared into her dark grey eyes in surprise and shock. Suddenly, he felt himself falling into a dark grey pit. He landed just as unexpectedly, in a dimly lit room decorated in red and gold. He recognized it. The Throne Room of the Fire Palace._

_The Avatar was in chains on her knees before Lord Ozai, resplendent in his royal robes. Someone stood behind her in Fire Nation armor, bowing respectfully._

"_You have done me a great service," Ozai congratulated the armored man. Zuko couldn't see his face. "You have brought me my greatest enemy, and placed her at my feet."_

"_No!" Zuko roared, but no one acknowledged him. It was like he didn't exist. And there was his chance at returning home, gone._

"_It was my honor," said the man. He turned to face Zuko. He saw the face of Commander Zhao. "Prince Zuko had no hope. He was useless and weak."_

"_He was," agreed the Fire Lord. _

"No!" Zuko roared, bolting upright.

"Prince Zuko?" called Iroh, knocking on his door. "Is everything alright?"

"Fine," Zuko panted, leaping out of bed. Hastily, he began dressing, pulling on his armor.

"We've docked, and I've arranged for the damage to be fixed," Iroh explained through the door. "Hurry up and get dressed, we need a few supplies."

Zuko jerked open the door, fully-dressed now, and stared at his uncle.

"Zuko, are you alright?" Iroh asked, looking at his nephew's flushed face and wide eyes.

"I'm fine!" Zuko snapped, shutting the door and taking off down the hallway, heedless of whether or not he was followed.

Iroh shrugged, muttered, "Must be that age," and hurried after Zuko.

"Uncle, I want the repairs finished as soon as possible," Zuko said as they descended onto the docks. "We can't risk lingering here and losing her trail."

"You mean the Avatar?" Iroh asked innocently.

"Don't say that name here!" Zuko spat, turning on his uncle. "If word gets out that she's alive, every Firebender who's able will be out hunting her. I don't want people in my way."

"Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" drawled a lazy, refined voice. Zuko turned to face Zhao.

"Captain Zhao," he greeted coldly.

"Commander now," Zhao corrected, smirking proudly. "And General Iroh, the hero of the Fire Nation."

"Retired General," Iroh corrected, bowing.

"The fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests whenever they please," Zhao said, but his tone said the exact opposite. "Why are you at my harbor?"

"Repairs," Zuko grunted, pointing at the ship. Zhao examined the crumpled hull, riddled with holes.

"Quite a bit of damage," Zhao commented. "You must have had something quite… _exciting_ happen."

"You wouldn't believe the story if we told you," Zuko said, trying to brush off suspicion.

"Try me," Zhao challenged. Zuko's eyes narrowed.

"Uncle, tell him what happened," the Fire Prince ordered.

"It was… er… Did we crash?" Iroh hissed to Zuko.

"Yes!" Zuko said, going with it, making up a lie on the spot. "Into… an Earth Kingdom ship!"

"Really?" Zhao asked, raising an eyebrow. "Fascinating. Would you join me for a drink, so I can hear all the interesting details?"

"We have business," Zuko said, walking away. Iroh caught his shoulder.

"Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect," Iroh chastised. "We would be glad to join you, Commander. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favorite."

Zuko growled, and allowed the fire to roll around his fists for a moment, before putting it out and stalking after the two older men. He had enough on his mind with his dream, he didn't need a confrontation with Zhao.

* * *

><p>Sokka's stomach growled loudly. "Hey, shut up," he said, poking his midsection. "I'm working on it, okay! Just hold on!" Sokka reached into a white cloth bag, rummaging around and smiling at the thought of food. But when he didn't feel anything, his smile dropped. He turned the bag upside down, shaking it frantically. A few crumbs dropped into his lap. "Agh! Who stole my blubbered seal jerky?"<p>

Amaya turned curiously, and her eyes settled on the bag. She blushed.

"That was food?" she asked in surprise. "I used it to start the fire last night!"

"How could you?" Sokka demanded, scandalized. He sighed wistfully. "No wonder the flames smelled so delicious. I was kind of curious about that."

"Look!" Amaya said, pointing at some rocky spires ahead of them and bouncing up and down on Appa's head happily. "The Patola mountain range! We're so close!"

"Amaya," Katara began, trying once more to keep her friend from getting her hopes up. "I need to tell you something about the Airbenders."

"What about us?" Amaya asked.

"I want you to be prepared," Katara pleaded. "It may not be what you think, you may see things… The Fire Nation was brutal when they attacked. They even killed my mother. They may… They may have killed your people too."

"Just because no one's seen the Airbenders, doesn't mean they're all gone," Amaya chuckled. "Some o them probably got out, at least."

"It's a hard thing to understand, but-,"

"You don't get it," Amaya shook her head. "Even if they found an Air Temple, which is unlikely seeing as you can't see them from the ground, they couldn't get to it. You can only get there on a flying bison. Like Appa! I doubt the Fire Nation has flying bison. Right Appa?" Amaya grinned fondly, rubbing Appa's head. Appa grunted in response. "Right. Flying bison are too cool for the Fire Nation. Yip yip!"

Appa shifted under them at the command, swooping to the side and then flying straight up a mountainside. Katara yelled and clung on, as did Sokka. Amaya squinted her eyes against the fierce wind before Appa leveled out and they were only about a mile from the Southern Air Temple.

"There it is!" Amaya squealed happily. "Appa, we're home buddy!"

Katara and Sokka stared, it was a graceful structure, blooming right out of the stone of the mountain. It was all winding paths and gently sloping inclines up tower walls. Spike shot from the top of the towers, forty, fifty, sixty feet in the air. The entire things was painted in various shades of blue and white.

"It's so beautiful," Katara whispered, leaning forwards excitedly.

* * *

><p>"By the end of the year, Ba Sing Se will fall. Fire Lord Ozai will have won," Zhao smirked proudly, ending his little speech.<p>

"If father thinks the world will willingly accept him as their leader, then he's foolish," Zuko frowned.

"I see two years at sea have not taught you much about respect," Zhao taunted. "So, how is your search for the Avatar going?"

It was then that Iroh knocked over a weapons rack. Both men frowned and looked up at the noise.

"Sorry," Iroh blushed. "My fault entirely. Don't mind me."

"We haven't found him," Zuko replied stiffly.

"Did you actually think you could?" Zhao sneered. "The Avatar died a hundred years ago with the rest of his kind." Zuko looked away nervously. Zhao saw. "Unless you found some little something that make you think otherwise."

"No," Zuko replied hastily.

"Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only thing that could stop Fire Lord Ozai. If you have a molecule of loyalty left, you will tell me what you've found."

"I haven't found anything new. Like you said, he's probably long dead. Uncle, we're leaving."

Zuko stood heading for the door. The guards on either side lowered their polearms, barring his way. Zuko drew back, glaring at the men. A soldier rushed in and went to Zhao's side.

"Commander Zhao," he reported. "The crew was very forthcoming. They confirmed that Prince Zuko had the Avatar captive, but she escaped."

"Well well," Zhao smirked, turning to Zuko. He paused, frowned, and turned back to the soldier. "Did you say she?"

"All the men reported the Avatar was a girl," the soldier replied.

"Remind me," Zhao chuckled, stepping towards the exiled Prince. "How was your ship damaged? By an old woman?"

* * *

><p>"Where do we get something to eat here?" Sokka moaned as Amaya raced up the path ahead of the Water Tribe siblings.<p>

"You are one of the first outsiders allowed to see an Air Temple, and you're more concerned about your stomach?" Katara said, staring at her brother.

"I'm a simple guy," Sokka shrugged. "I don't need a lot to stay happy."

Katara just shook her head as they caught up with Amaya, who was staring around a courtyard.

"There's where my friends and I used to play Air Ball. They used to get mad at me because I was so good," Amaya grinned, pointing at a group of clustered logs of different lengths set up in a rectangle. "Oh! And over there is where the bison used to sleep!" Now she pointed to a cliff side with half-ovals cut in it. Amaya sighed wearily, dropping her hand.

"What's up?" Katara asked.

"This place," Amaya shrugged. "There used to be so much happening. Monks, and lemurs, and bison. But now there's just… nothing."

Katara and Sokka looked at each other.

"So, how about I be the first to beat you at Air Ball?" Sokka suggested.

"Why is cheering Airbenders up painful?" he groaned a few minutes later, when Amaya had knocked him off his pole for the seventh time.

"Amaya seven, Sokka nothing!" Amaya chuckled, dancing on her log.

Sokka groaned, raising his head… only to come face to mask with a Firebender helmet.

"Katara!" he hissed. "Look over here."

Katara walked over and glared at the armor. "Fire Nation," she spat, staring at the blackened, cracked metal.

"We have to tell her," Sokka said. Katara sighed.

"You're right. Hey Amaya, come here!" Amaya leapt down, walking over and smiling. Katara frowned. She was too happy, she couldn't tell her. Katara waved her arms and snow from an overhang covered the spikes of the helmet.

"What's up?" Amaya asked.

"Oh, just wanted to show you the new move I learned."

"Cool!" Amaya congratulated. "But we can practice at the North Pole. For now, there's so much here you have to see!"

"You'll have to tell her at some point," Sokka whispered to Katara. "Or she'll find out on her own."

I can't tell her, not now," Katara shook her head. "Not while she's so excited."

"Firebenders were here," Sokka stressed as they followed Amaya up a set of stairs. "We know they were, we just saw proof! You can't deny it!"

"I can for Amaya's sake," Katara said determinedly. "If she finds out what really happened, think what it will do to her. She'll be crushed!"

"Hey, I want you to meet someone!" Amaya called form up ahead.

"Someone's here?" Sokka muttered as he and Katara ran after Amaya. They found her standing in front of a weathered wooden statue, snow piled sporadically on it. It was an old monk, with a long droopy beard and a cheerful smile. Around his neck was a necklace with a thick piece of wooden carved with the Air Nomad symbol and a few feathers.

"Who's that?" Katara asked curiously.

"Monk Gyatso," Amaya said wistfully. "He was like my father when I was growing up. Gyatso was the greatest Airbender in the world, and he taught me everything I know."

Amaya smiled and bowed respectfully to the statue, closing her eyes and flying back a century.

* * *

><p>"<em>The real secret is in the gooey center," Gyatso said, pulling his fourth cake from the over. He flicked his wrist, sculpting the center into a nicely shaped swirl.<em>

"_Mmm," Amaya mumbled, not really paying attention as she lay in her stomach on the railing, staring at the floor below her._

"_Somehow, I don't think you are really focusing on my ancient cake baking wisdom," Gyatso chuckled. "What are you thinking about, Amaya?"_

"_This whole 'Avatar' thing," Amaya frowned, shifting on to her back and staring up at the sky."I'm hoping the monks made a mistake. I don't want it to be me. I mean, I know it's a huge honor and everything, but I don't want it. Does that make me a bad person?"_

"_Some people are born great," Gyatso said sagely. "Others have greatness thrust upon them later in life. It is harder for those people to accept their roles."_

"_Who said that?" Amaya asked curiously, rolling over onto her stomach again and looking at Gyatso's friendly, aged face._

"_I believe it did," Gyatso chuckled. "Just now."_

_Amaya giggled, but soon her frown came back. "You sure there's no way they're wrong?"_

"_The only thing the monks did wrong was telling you about your legacy before you were ready," Gyatso frowned. "But we cannot concern ourselves with what was. We can't change that, no one can. All we can do is act on what is!"_

_Amaya stared out at the Southern Air Temple. Carefully cultivated plants bloomed all over, some being munched on by the huge sky bison. The monks in their orange robes walked about or meditated. Students who were late ran towards class. Lemurs hopped about in the trees, making noises at each other. The air was crisp and cold, and made one feel alive. The smell of Gyatso's cakes filled the air._

_It was one of those moments you knew you would never forget, even decades later._

"_Gyatso, I don't think I can do this," Amaya said, suddenly feeling ill at the thought of leaving her wonderful Temple, where she had spent all her life. "I mean, how do I know if I can?"_

"_When you are older," Gyatso explained, and Amaya rolled her eyes at her four least favorite words. When you are older. "and you enter the Air Temple Sanctuary, the your questions about the Avatar will be answered. Inside is someone to guide you on your journey."_

"_Who?" Amaya asked, hopping off the railing._

"_When you are ready, he will reveal himself to you."_

"_Urgh," Amaya grunted. "Why do you do that? Just give me a hint of something interesting, and refuse to answer questions. It's really annoying, you know?"_

"_Oh, I know," Gyatso smiled. "It's part of my job as a wise old man. Now, are you going to help me with these cakes?"_

_Amaya giggled, bounding over to the row of cakes. "Always!"_

_The two stood side by side and took a ready stance. They swayed back, gathering a ball of air, and then threw it forwards. The cakes went flying. _

_Splat._

_Splat._

_Splat._

_Splat._

_Each one landed on the head of a monk meditating below them. Immediately, lemurs leapt from the trees, lapping eagerly at the food._

_Gyatso and Amaya laughed from the landing above, staring down at the scene._

"_You aim is greatly improved, my young pupil," Gyatso congratulated as they bowed to each other. He reached out and patted her head fondly. Suddenly, Amaya rushed forwards and hugged Gyatso tight around the middle, something you really weren't supposed to do. Gyatso looked down at her, surprised._

"_I'm gonna miss you when I have to leave and learn Waterbending," she mumbled into his robe._

"_And I will miss you to, little one," Gyatso replied fondly, wrapping his arms around her as well._

Amaya raised her head, smiling at the statue of the old man.

"You must miss him," Katara said, taking in the sad look in Amaya's eyes.

"Yeah," she said dimly. Now that she was older, she had something to do. Something important.

"Where are you going?" Katara called after her.

"The Air Temple Sanctuary," Amaya replied. "I've got a meeting to get to."

Katara looked back at Sokka, who shrugged, before they followed after Amaya silently.

She stopped in front of a huge, recessed wooden door, a tree arching over it. On the door was the symbol of the Air Nomads made of pipe, with more piping of a different color swirling around it.

"Amaya," Katara said. "No one could have survived in there for a hundred years."

Amaya turned, raised an eyebrow, and pointed to herself.

"Good point," Katara conceded.

"Whoever's in there is supposed to help me with the Avatar stuff," Amaya explained. "I have to see him."

"And he may have a medley of delicious cured meats," Sokka said happily, rubbing his hands together eagerly. He sprinted for the door and did a face plant against the thick wooden beams when it didn't open.

"I don't suppose you grabbed a key anywhere, did you?" Sokka mumbled from the ground. Amaya chuckled.

"Airbending opens the door," Amaya explained, taking a stance. She moved through the prescribed forms, aimed carefully, and blew a blast of air from each hand into one side of the pipe lock.

You could hear the air moving around, and one third of the symbol rotated and released some of it, knocking a piece of pipe into place. The same thing happened again, and again, until a piece in the exact center turned vertically and moved up.

The door ground open, separating the symbol down the middle. Amaya face a huge room. There were no lights, it was pitch black inside.

"Hello?" Amaya called, stepping inside. "Anyone there? I kind of need to talk to you, whoever you are. I'm the Avatar!"

Sokka and Katara looked at each other worriedly, before following Amaya inside. They disappeared into the blackness, just as she had.

* * *

><p>"A teenage girl bested you and your Firebenders," Zhao sneered, pacing in front of Zuko, who was sitting flanked by two soldiers. Iroh sat off to the side, calmly sipping tea and having a light snack. "You're so <em>pathetic<em>, more so than I expected."

"I underestimated her!" Zuko defended. "It won't happen again."

"You're right, it won't," Zhao smirked. "Because you're finished. That was your last chance."

"Commander Zhao, I've been hunting for her for two years, and I-!" Zuko protested.

"And you _failed_, didn't you?" Zhao spat, whirling on the teenager. "This mission is too important for a banished, disgraced, _dishonored Prince_. This job is _mine_ now."

Zuko lunged at Zhao, but the two soldiers behind him grabbed on tight and held him back.

"Keep them here," Zhao ordered. In a fit of rage, Zuko kicked at the table in front of Iroh, spilling tea and food on the expensive carpet.

"More tea please?" Iroh asked calmly.

* * *

><p>Amaya stared. It was disturbing, but also, somehow comforting, the rows upon rows of statues all facing them. Like coming home to a large family you hadn't seen in years. You didn't know how they would receive you, but you knew they were family, that they wouldn't hurt you.<p>

Cautiously, she moved among the swirling lines of statues, looking at their faces. It was like she knew them from somewhere, but couldn't quite place them, like an old childhood friend who moved away, and suddenly popped back into your life.

"Statues?" Sokka whined, his voice suddenly cutting through the stillness in an almost indecent way. This was a place where you felt like you should whisper, and anything louder than that was rude. "Why just statues? Is this it?"

"Who are all these people?" Katara whispered as she followed Amaya through the rows of stone people.

"I don't know," Amaya shook her head. "But I know them somehow, I know I do." She smiled at the one in front of her. "Look, he's an Airbender like me."

"And that one next to him is a Waterbender." Katara grinned at the statue in front of her. "I wonder if he was from my Tribe."

"Fifty-fifty shot," Amaya shrugged

"Look," Katara said, suddenly realizing. "It's a pattern all around the room. Air, water, earth, fire."

"The Avatar Cycle," Amaya noted. It had been drilled into her head as a child.

"Of course," Katara mumbled. "You said whoever was in here was supposed to help you with being the Avatar, right?"

"That's what Gyatso told me," Amaya nodded.

"These are all past Avatars!" Katara exclaimed. "They're all _you_, but from before."

Amaya smiled widely, rotating in place as she stared at the upper levels in awe. "They're all me. There's so many! Could I really have been all these people?"

"Of course not," Sokka snorted. "That's silly! Katara, come on, that's just old legends."

"It's true!" Katara insisted. "When the Avatar died, he was reincarnated in the next Nation in the Cycle."

Amaya dimly heard all this, but she was mostly focused on the last statue of the bunch. He was an old, somewhat austere man with his hair in a topknot. He wore expensive but outdated Fire nation robes.

She just stared at his carved eyes. They were stone, but life almost seemed to glint in them. Amaya felt herself being pulled forwards towards the statue, and some unknown voice whispered to her words she didn't understand.

"Amaya?" Katara asked, walking over. She noticed he friend's glazed expression, how her eyes were fixed on those of the statue. "Amaya, snap out of it!"

"hmm?" she asked vaguely, blinking. She smiled up at the stone face.

"Who is that?" Katara asked, wondering why Amaya appeared so entranced.

"Avatar Roku," Amaya said. The name sprang to her lips without being called, like she knew it instinctively, but she was sure she had never heard the name before. "He was the Avatar before me."

"You were a Firebender?" Sokka asked, walking over to the statue. "No wonder I didn't like you!"

"There's no writing," Katara noted. "How do you know his name?"

Amaya shrugged. "Some Avatar thing, I guess. I just sort of _know it_, you know?"

"You are a weird, weird girl." Sokka shook his head.

A soft pitter patter noise caught their attention, and the trio turned to see a shadow stretching across the floor. Quickly, they ducked behind statues.

"Firebender," Sokka guessed. "Nobody say anything."

"You're saying something!" Katara protested quietly.

"Shh, both of you!" Amaya ordered.

"That Firebender won't know what hit him," Sokka nodded, hefting his cudgel. He leapt out, weapon raised, only to blink and lower it, confused. Amaya and Katara looked out, curiously.

There sat a little lemur with wide green eyes, floppy ears pushed back and thin tail curled.

"Lemur!" Amaya said cheerfully.

"Dinner," Was Sokka's reaction, and needless to say, Amaya wasn't thrilled.

"You are not eating that adorable thing!" she protested. "Don't listen to him lemur, I'll take care of you," she cooed. The lemur cocked its head, looking at her.

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka said, and ran at the lemur, yelling happily. Amaya darted out after him. As with most wild animals, the lemur reacted to two large things rushing at it and making noise as a threat, so it ran out of the room, Amaya and Sokka racing after it.

"Come on little guy, I won't hurt you!" Amaya called.

"I wanna eat you!" screamed Sokka.

"Oh yeah, that's encouraging," Amaya teased as she passed him. Sokka stuck out his club to trip her, but Amaya leapt over it lightly, throwing her arms back and simultaneously pushing Sokka back and herself forwards. She laughed triumphantly as she drew ahead.

"No fair," Sokka mumbled into the floor.

The lemur paused on the railing of a balcony, and Amaya raced towards it, hoping it would stay in place. It didn't seem to want to though. The lemur spread its wings and took off. Amaya jumped after it, leaping lightly from rock to rock, recovering easily from falls that would kill someone of another Bending Discipline.

"Aw man," Sokka whined as he arrived at the balcony and saw that he was officially out of the Great Lemur Race.

* * *

><p>Zuko sat with his arms crossed, glaring at the carpet between his feet. Iroh sat across from him, twiddling his thumbs in Zhao's command tent. Two soldiers guarded the entrance, making sure they didn't get away.<p>

Zhao stepped inside, announcing, "My search party is ready and waiting. Once we've left port, you two will be taken back to your ship by my guards, free to do anything except hunt to Avatar."

"Why all the precautions, Zhao?" Zuko snapped. "Are you worried I'll stop you?"

Zhao laughed cruelly. "You couldn't stop me. That's impossible!"

"Do not underestimate me, Zhao," Zuko frowned, standing. "I _will_ capture the Avatar before you, I promise!"

"Enough!" Iroh ordered, standing up as well.

"How could you hope to compete with me?" Zhao taunted the Prince. "I have hundreds of warships, thousands of soldiers under my command. You," he sneered. "You're nothing but a banished Prince. No home. No allies. Your soldiers wouldn't keep a secret for you, _your own father doesn't even want you!_"

"He does!" Zuko spat. "My father will welcome me home once I give him the Avatar, and I'll have my honor back."

"If your father _really_ wanted you back he would have told you to come home by now, with or _without _the Avatar," Zhao growled. "But to him you are nothing more than a failure, a disgrace to his family and the Fire Nation."

"That's not true," Zuko hissed.

"You have the scar to prove it," Zhao replied softly.

Those were the magic words. Zuko roared and leaned in, scant inches from Zhao's face. "Maybe you'd like one to match!" he yelled.

"Is that a challenge?" Zhao asked derisively.

"Agni Kai," Zuko spat. "At sunset."

"Very well," Zhao agreed. "It's a shame the Fire Lord won't be here to watch you lose again. I guess your uncle will do." With that last insult, Zhao left the tent.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh cautioned. "Have you forgotten what happened last time you dueled a master?"

"I will never forget," Zuko said softly. Not with it haunting his dreams.

* * *

><p>Amaya dived towards the ground where the lemur had paused, seemingly to deliberate where to go next. It darted to the right, just ahead of Amaya's hands.<p>

"Drat," she muttered, chasing the lemur. It dove into what she recognized as an old meeting room, a simple low structure with a cloth ceiling and doors. The cloth now hung in tatters, but still served most of its intended purpose.

"Come on little guy, I'm not here to hurt you," Amaya called softly. She ducked under another hanging cloth door, staring around for the lemur.

She didn't see the lemur, but she saw the last thing she wanted to. Scattered all around her were Fire Nation skeletons, still clad in their rusting, charred armor.

"Oh no," she mumbled, sagging against the wall. "They really were here." Her eyes roved over the scene, focusing on each and every corpse before moving on to the next one. Finally, her eyes reached the last skeleton, backed up against a wall. She saw the tattered bits of orange cloth and recognized them as part of a monk's robe. Then she saw the necklace.

Amaya's knees buckled and she hit the ground, staring at the skeleton as tears leaked from her eyes.

"Gyatso," she whimpered.

"Find my dinner yet, Amaya?" Sokka asked, poking his head inside the room. He saw Amaya collapsed. "Ah, come on, I wasn't gonna really eat the lemur you know, he's actually kind of cute." Sokka saw the wreckage before her, saw the necklace he had just seen depicted in wood. "On no. Come on Amaya, let's go. Things will feel better once you get out of here."

There is no way to accurately transcribe the noise that left Amaya's mouth. It was from a time before syllables, before complicated syllables like 'ngn' and 'arg.' It was a primal expression of pure grief, anger, and deep, debilitating sadness. It was a scream that made everyone who heard it want to curl up into a fearful ball, blocking their ears and gritting their teeth.

Her tattoos and eyes glowed bright and Sokka drew back fearfully. Inside the Temple, the statues Katara was walking among suddenly had glowing eyes as well, reaching up to an invisible ceiling.

"Amaya!" Katara exclaimed, running after Sokka. Something was horribly wrong with her friend.

They didn't know it, but this wasn't just happening in the Southern Air Temple Sanctuary. The eyes of depictions of Avatars in Temple all over the world glowed along with Amaya's. Painting, mosaic, statue, it didn't matter. The eyes glowed a vivid blue.

The world knew the Avatar was back.

Sokka watched her rise and assume a stance like a predator waiting to pounce. Wind swirled in a cyclone around her. On the ground, bones rocked back and forth, then flew around, violently clattering against walls and the shield around her. The building exploded as the hurricane grew towards the sky, sending walls and tattered shreds of clothe spraying for miles, along with bits of Fire Nation armor. Only Gyatso's skeleton was spared, lying there while wind pulled at the necklace and decaying bits of robe.

"What happened?" Katara cried, her voice snatched away by the wind, as she hunkered behind a broken bit of wall with Sokka.

"Amaya found Gyatso's body with Fire Nation skeletons around it," Sokka explained.

"It triggered the Avatar state!" Katara realized. "We have to calm her down!" She stood up and pressed onwards against the wind towards Amaya, holding her arms up to break the blasts of air around her.

"Then do it!" Sokka yelled after her. "Before she blows us off the mountain!"

Katara staggered, barely catching herself before she was blown backwards. In front of her, the wind blew faster and Amaya rose into the air.

* * *

><p>The sky was red, yellow, and orange. Sunset. Fitting for an Agni Kai.<p>

The Agni Kai dueling arena was silent, both combatants crouched on their respective sides. A few curious soldiers watched along the sidelines, waiting for the fight to begin.

"Remember your basics," Iroh reminded his nephew who was crouched before him in the traditional position. "They are your greatest weapons."

"He will not win," Zuko ground out determinedly, standing. He turned, his shoulder garment sliding to crumple on the ground, as was traditional. Across from him, Zhao did the same.

"This will be over quickly," he assured the soldiers confidently.

Above them, the gong rang, signaling the time to begin.

Zuko and Zhao took ready positions, waiting tensely for someone to attack, to move, to twitch a muscle, something signaling an offensive movement, signaling the beginning of the fight.

It was Zuko who attacked first , swinging his arms to the side before striking, blasting a fireball at Zhao. Zhao dodged neatly, stepping to his left, then his right as Zuko attacked again. The prince leapt to the side and attacked twice more. This time, Zhao didn't even bother moving. He just raised his arms and diffused the fire around him. Once again Zuko attacked, and again Zhao simply let the fire spray around him.

The Prince was panting with effort. Zhao was barely winded.

Zuko tried a different tactic, kicking out, a long line of fire trailing from his heel. Zhao held his hands up and gathered the fire, before releasing it harmlessly behind him. He held a flame around his left hand and used it to divert the next stream away from him.

Again, Zuko kicked a line of fire towards Zhao. This time, Zhao kneeled willingly, a neat wedge of fire forming around his hands. Zuko's fire washed around Zhao's own, passing with no more damage than a slightly uncomfortable amount of heat.

Zhao was on his feet within a second, facing the panting and weakened Prince. Zuko was good, yes, but he hadn't yet built up the stamina that Zhao had after decades of training.

"Remember your basics!" Iroh yelled. "Break his root!"

Zhao stepped forwards and planted his foot, punching fire towards Zuko. The prince jumped and allowed himself to be knocked back, breaking the stream with his arms. Zhao stepped, planted, punched again, this time with two hands. Zuko was pushed back again, but he still repelled the fire. Step, plant punch. Repel. Finally, Zhao gathered his strength and fired from the heel of his palm. The fire slammed into the Prince, knocking him to the ground.

Zuko groaned as he tried to sit up, head throbbing. The groan quickly changed to a gasp as Zhao appeared above him, jumping, landing in front of him, ready to end it.

"Rrrraaaa!" Zhao roared, punching. Zuko's eyes widened at the familiar sight of fire streaming towards his face. He reacted instinctively, how he likely would have reacted in the Agni Kai with his father, had he known.

He jumped, twisting his legs and catching Zhao's ankle as he rotated on his hands. Suddenly their positions had changed. Zuko was on his feet, Zhao was staggering backwards. Zuko smiled. His feet moved, streaming fire at Zhao's ankles, then again, then his chest, his ankles again, and finally, a powerful burst of fire at his chest.

Zhao staggered backwards, all semblance of balance gone as Zuko worked to keep him backing up. He hit the ground and rolled, and then it was Zuko standing over Zhao ready to strike.

"Do it!" Zhao yelled, staring at the enraged Prince above him.

Zuko punched.

"That's it?" Zhao asked in disgust, staring at the blackened mark an inch from his left ear. "Your father raised a coward!"

"Next time you get in my way, I promise you won't get off so easily," Zuko threatened, turning back to his uncle and walking away.

That was too much for Zhao. He rose and almost immediately attacked, foot flying out to catch Zuko's bare back with a wicked stream of flame. Then Iroh was there, a firm grip on Zhao's foot, putting out the Commander's fire with his own. Iroh shifted his grip and Zhao found himself flying backwards, back scraping painfully along the rough ground as he slid.

Zuko lunged for Zhao angrily, but Iroh caught him.

"No, Prince Zuko," Iroh cautioned. "Do not taint your victory like this." Iroh turned to Zhao, lying in the dirt at his feet. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful." Iroh shook his head. "Even in exile my nephew is more honorable than you. Thank you for the tea. It was very well-prepared."

With that, Iroh lead his young nephew away and out of the dueling area.

"Uncle?" Zuko asked hesitantly. "Did you really mean that?"

"Of course I did," Iroh smiled. "Didn't I tell you ginseng tea is my favorite?"

* * *

><p>Amaya felt that eternal spring of power inside her again as she stared at Gyatso's bare bones, shifting slightly in her wind. Grief and sadness and anger were the only things inside her now as she hovered in her little protective air bubble, rubble and bone whipping dangerously around her. Amaya stared, because she didn't know what else to do. There was no one here to take her anger out on, no one to fight, no one to utterly <em>destroy<em> like she wanted to.

How could the Fire Nation do this? How could they take the only family she had ever had away from her? How could they? Kuzon had never been like this, what had changed in the Fire Nation?

She was oblivious to the tiny bits of dust swirling around, sometimes getting inside her bubble and nipping at her skin, dying the air a greyish purple.

Dimly, words made their way through her bubble, an externalized force mirror the wall she had hastily thrown up around her heart in an effort to block the pain of Gyatso's death. Internally, it was failing. Externally, it worked beautifully.

"Amaya, I know how upset you are!" Katara screamed over the howling wind. "I know how hard it is to lose people you love! I went through the same thing when the Fire Nation took my mother from me! Monk Gyatso and the other benders may be gone, but your family isn't! Now Sokka and I are your family!"

Slowly, ever so slowly, Amaya drifted down as the wind calmed and the words made their way into her consciousness. Is this how Gyatso would want her to react? Would he want her to throw a temper tantrum, and possibly injure her only friends? Would he want her to destroy herself? That was what she was very close to doing, letting the anger and grief fill her up like she was. The idea of hunting down and destroying every last member of the Fire Nation was starting to seem horribly appealing.

No, Gyatso would be ashamed of her acting like this. And what had Katara said? She still had family.

Amaya hit the ground softly, the wind vanishing. She still glowed as she clung to the comforting energy inside of her.

"Katara and I aren't going to let anything happen to you," Sokka assured her. "Promise." Simultaneously, he and Katara reached for one of her hands. The arrows faded in their grips.

Amaya slumped, drained physically, emotionally, and mentally.

"M'sorry," she mumbled. "If I hurt you…"

"You didn't we're fine. You didn't mean to," Katara soothed her.

"You were right," Amaya sighed. "If the Fire Nation found this Temple, they found the others. I really am the last one. The Last Airbender."

Katara hugged her as Sokka placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Could you just….," Amaya paused. "Leave me alone for a minute? I need to do some things."

"Okay," Sokka nodded.

"We'll pack up so we're ready to leave when we need to," Katara said. "Just come get us when you're ready."

"Thanks guys. I just need some time," Amaya assured them. Katara and Sokka left, heading back to Appa. Amaya looked at Gyatso's corpse, the only one that wasn't now scattered across several miles, and felt ashamed. Those soldiers had family, they were just following orders. They didn't deserve having that done to their bodies.

There was nothing she could do though, so Amaya set about gathering rocks and debris, piling them over Gyatso in a cairn. He deserved that, and more. She found herself facing a pile of rocks faster than she had expected.

"I'll miss you Gyatso," she mumbled softly. "You were the best make-shift father a girl could ever have. No, you were more than that. You were my father, you really were. You raised me, and taught me everything I know. You helped me get through being told I was the Avatar. You cheered me up, and showed me how to throw cakes on monk's heads properly." She smiled. "I love you, Gyatso."

She trailed her finger over the rocks, tracing out his name. To her surprise, when she looked again, the stones had melded together into one huge mound, flowing seamlessly into the ground. Curiously, Amaya tapped it. It was hollow. Somehow, she had managed to turn a rough pile of rocks into a respectable tomb. The name that she had traced was now engraved in the stone.

"Come on Amaya, pull yourself together," Amaya coaxed herself. "You can come back and visit him after you save the world and stuff." She nodded to herself, standing up and tracing a familiar path through the Temple to her own room.

She hesitated outside the wooden door, wondering what she would find inside. Taking a deep breath, she pushed it open and stepped inside.

It was just the way she left it, plus a thick coat of dust on everything. She took a moment to breathe in the musty smell, remembering long hours studying, reading, and writing in this room a century ago. Shaking her head to clear the memories, Amaya moved to a worn trunk at the foot of her simple bed.

The monks were very against keeping personal possessions, but they made allowances for clothes, supplies for studying, diaries, objects with sentimental value, things like that.

Amaya had to put some effort into raising the lid of the chest, as the wood had settled over the years, but then she was staring into a mostly empty box. Shifting aside a few layers of clothes, she dug around until she reached the bottom, poking and prying until she found the knot hole. She punched it out, then reached into the hole and lifted out the false bottom she had fitted herself.

It wasn't that she was mistrustful and suspicious, no. As a child though, she had enjoyed hiding things, just to see if she could get away with it. This was one of the few hiding places she had managed to get away with.

Reaching inside, she pulled out a small pouch and a tattered book, the pages now yellow with age. The book she hastily flipped through. The pages were a bit aged, but still fairly strong. Inside, inked across page after page, were the random bits of knowledge Gyatso had imparted to her over the years, a running list she had began at age seven, and kept current up until the day the left.

_If you wish your merit to be known, acknowledge that of other people._

_Fortune does not come twice. Misfortune does not come alone._

_You must persevere to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. _

_One mouse dropping ruins the whole pot of rice porridge._

Amaya giggled, remembering the conversation that lead up to _that_ little nugget. Closing the book, she slipped it into her pocket, making sure it was secure before she turned to the pouch, which contained her only items of value in the whole world. She undid the drawstrings and lifted out two necklaces.

Monk Gyatso had caught her admiring the jewelry of the older monks one day when she was six, and when she expressed the childish wish for pretty things like that, he presented her with one of these for her next birthday. It was the one with the most monetary value, a double strand choker made of uncut turquoise in the Earth Kingdom.

The next was a reply to the necklace that she had given him, the necklace he wore in the statue she had showed Katara and Sokka. Being an adult, Gyatso had access to semi-valuable materials instead hand-carved wooden ones. The necklace he gave her was made of simple jade beads strung on a bit of red yarn, a gold coin hanging from the center. This one had the most value to her.

Smiling, she abandoned the pouch and fastened the choker behind her neck before pulling the jade one over her head, tucking them both into her collar. Standing, she replaced the pouch, gathered a few spare clothes in an old pack, and headed back to Appa.

"You ready?" Katara asked. Amaya nodded.

"What's in the bag?" Sokka asked curiously. "Food?"

"Anything that's been here a century would not be too appetizing," Amaya frowned at Sokka.

Suddenly, the elusive lemur appeared at Sokka's feet and deposited an armload of fruit and berries at his feet before skipping back and scurrying up Amaya's legs to sit on her shoulder.

"Looks like her heard you," Amaya chuckled, rubbing the lemur's head fondly.

"So, are we taking him too?" Katara asked as they got on Appa.

"Yeah," Amaya nodded. "Me, him, and Appa are all that's left here. We gotta stick together, don't we little guy?" She placed the lemur on the saddle next to Katara and Sokka, taking her place at the reins.

"What are you going to call him?" Sokka asked.

"Yip yip!" Amaya said, coaxing Appa into the air before turning to Sokka. "I think I'll call him… Momo!"

The lemur looked up and chattered at her.

"I think he likes it," Katara giggled. "But why Momo?"

"He looks like a Momo, doesn't he?" Amaya shrugged. "Is that just me?"

Sokka leaned forwards, his face an inch from Momo's unblinking eyes and stared.

"Yeah, he does look very Momo-like," Sokka nodded, straightening. Katara and Amaya laughed.

"So Amaya, what were you doing?" Katara asked. "While we were loading up Appa?" She noticed Amaya's smile slip and backpedaled furiously. "Unless, you don't want to, you don't have to tell us."

"No, it's fine," Amaya nodded. "I just buried Gyatso as well as I could, somehow I turned a pile of rocks into one big chunk and carved his name into it."

"Really?" Katara asked interestedly. "How?"

"I don't know," Amaya shrugged. "Must be some Avatar thing. I didn't really mean to. I was just tracing his name with my finger, wishing I could give him something better, and… It sort of happened."

"It must be your Earthbending," Katara mused. "That would explain it. Your Avatar powers must have still been hanging on after you left the Avatar State."

"Could be," Amaya nodded. "I also grabbed a few things from my old room."

"What did you get?" Sokka asked.

"A few extra clothes, an old diary, and these," she said, pulling aside the collar of her shirt. Katara leaned forwards curiously while Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Girls, can't live without jewelry," he sighed.

"These are really pretty," Katara said, poking at a chunk of turquoise. "Where did you get them?"

"Gyatso gave me this one for my birthday," she said, poking the turquoise as well. "And he made me this one in return for the one I gave him. The one he was wearing in his statue. It's my favorite."

"It's nice," Katara nodded. "Much more 'you' than the other one."

"And yellow is so your color!" Sokka spoke up in a fake girly voice.

They all laughed as they soared away from the Southern Air temple. Amaya was quite proud of herself.

She only looked back twice.

* * *

><p>Two things I want to address.<p>

First, here are Amaya's two necklaces:

Jade Coin Necklace: http:/ u. jimdo. com/ www17/ o/ sdfd7b7a05496ecd3/ img/ i890b7fe6faf8da59/ 1317398191/ orig/ image. jpg

Turquoise Necklace (but as a choker): http:/ www. beadparadise. com/ media/ images/ thumbnail/ antique_ tibetan_ turquoise_ chinese_ immortal_ silver_ necklace_ ethj1064. jpg

Second, I had some concern people would feel Amaya was a bit overly attached to Gyatso. I'll admit, it's more dramatic than some other things I have written, but I did see my mother's reaction when her brother died. Also, I did some researching into the psychology of girls who grow up without a mother, father, or both. It turns out girls are actually more likely to form a fatherly emotional bond with an older man if they grew up without one. So, I found that interesting and kept it in mind when thinking about Amaya's reaction to Gyatso's death.


	3. In Which Amaya Learns Something

**P**rince Zuko was meditating, breathing in and out slowly, calmingly. In front of him, the flames of four candles grew and shrank with his breath. In, grow. Out, shrink.

Behind him, the door creaked open. Cautiously, Iroh stepped in, carrying a scroll.

"The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news of the Avatar," Zuko said in a surprisingly calm tone for him.

"I have… news," Iroh hedged. "But not the kind you want. Try not to get upset, Prince Zuko."

"Uncle," Zuko sighed. "You taught me that a quality of a good leader is the ability to keep a level head."

"Okay," Iroh shrugged helplessly. "We lost her trail, and we have no idea where she's going."

"What!"

The flames roared up and Zuko leapt to his feet, striding to his uncle.

"Open a window," Iroh advised, waving smoke out of his face with a fan.

"Give me the map!" Zuko ordered, snatching it from the ex-General.

"We've gotten reports of sightings of the Avatar," Iroh explained. "But we have no idea what the pattern is."

Zuko stared at the map, marked with the locations of sightings and presumed paths. The lines zigzagged, doubled back, and jumped from Nation to Nation.

"How am I supposed to catch her?" Zuko asked his uncle, a tinge of worry entering his tone. "She's clearly a master of evasive maneuvering.

* * *

><p>"We're totally lost, aren't we?" Sokka asked.<p>

"I'm pretty sure the North Pole is on the water," Amaya shrugged. Sokka looked over the edge of Appa's saddle. The ocean stretched for miles and miles on every side, no land in sight.

"Guess we're getting close then." Sokka rolled his eyes. "Come on Amaya; just admit you have no idea where you're going!"

Amaya was silent for a while, just petting Momo as she steered.

"Girls are better at fixing pants and stuff, and guys are better at hunting and fishing," Sokka explained loudly. Amaya grinned. She had missed the conversation, but this seemed like a very interesting time to jump in.

"All done with your pants!" Katara chirped cheerfully, throwing Sokka back the half-sewn pants she had been mending for him. "Look what a wonderful job I did!"

"Katara, please!" Sokka begged, sliding his hand through a hole on the rear of his pants. "I can't wear these! Katara, fix them, please!"

"Calm, Sokka," Amaya giggled. "Where we're going next, you won't need pants!"

Sokka looked at Katara worriedly.

"Uh, where exactly is she taking us?" he asked nervously. Katara frowned.

"No idea."

"Why won't I need pants here again?" Sokka asked after they had landed on a thin strip of sandy beach. "And why are we stopping already?"

"Come on Amaya, let's go," Katara begged. "We need to hurry to the North Pole so you can learn Waterbending."

"Just a few minutes," Amaya waved away their concerns. "I want to ride the elephant koi and then we can go." Immediately, she began stripping off her clothes, piling them on the beach until she was standing in just her breast bindings and underskirt.

Out of the ocean in front of them, a giant koi fish leapt into the air in a hail of sparkling droplets. Then another, then another. Laughing happily, Amaya sprinted to the water and dove in, swimming out towards them.

She floated for a moment, waiting as an exposed fin came towards her. When it passed, she grabbed hold tight, laughing as the koi reacted by jumping high into the air. She skimmed along the surface as the koi swam, several other leaping around her. Amaya reached out a hand and trailed her fingers along one koi that passed incredibly close, giggling at the scaly feeling.

Her koi ducked under the water then, and Amaya took a gulp of air before she was yanked under as well.

"Looks like fun," Katara said on land, smiling at the jumping fish.

"Are you kidding, she's gonna die," Sokka replied calmly.

To their right, they heard an animal start squealing. Katara turned to see Appa had grabbed the tail of a squirrel and was holding it in place as it tried to scamper away.

"No Appa, we do not terrorize the wildlife!" Katara yelled, running for him and getting him to lift his fun, releasing the scared creature.

"There's something in the water!" Sokka yelled suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked, running back to her brother.

"Look!"

A large, dark shadow was moving fast behind Amaya as she balanced on the back of an elephant koi.

"Amaya, get out of the water!" Katara roared.

"Amaya, behind you!" Sokka yelled.

Amaya looked and saw a gigantic black fin rise out of the water behind her.

"Oh drat," she mumbled. She released the elephant koi and threw her arms backwards, blasting herself most of the way back to shore, staggering the last few feet in her drenched clothes.

"What was that thing?" Katara demanded as Amaya yanked on her shirt.

"Dunno," Amaya shrugged, pulling on her jewelry. "Probably something not terribly friendly."

"I'd rather not find out if it wants to eat us or invite us over for tea," Sokka sighed. "Let's get back on Appa and head out."

That plan was quickly changed as figures in green leapt from the trees above them and bound them within seconds, throwing them to the ground.

"I don't think their all for that idea," Amaya mumbled into the dirt. They were hauled to their feet and shoved.

"Walk," ordered a voice. The trio obeyed, walking as well as they could without being able to see through their blindfolds. Every now and then, a hand would grab then and correct them.

The most recent time this happened, the hands threw them up against some sort of wooden pole. Soon, cold metal chains were pressed against their legs and chests, tying them to the pole.

"You three owe us some explanations," said a voice, somewhat cracked with age.

"If you don't tell us what we want to know, then we throw you back to the Unagi!" said a girl's voice.

"Show yourselves, cowards!" Sokka yelled as Amaya muttered, "What's an Unagi?"

Their blindfolds were ripped off, revealing an older man in blue clothes, and five women in green battle gear and elaborate face paint.

"Where are the men who ambushed us?" Sokka demanded.

"There were no men!" sneered one of the fighters, the one who had threatened them with the Unagi. "We attacked you, and we brought you here."

"What?" Sokka snorted. "No way a bunch of girl got the drop on us!"

"A bunch of girls?" growled the girl, leaning forwards in Sokka's face. "The Unagi will eat well tonight!"

"Sokka, I take offense at that!" Amaya exclaimed.

"Don't hurt my brother!" Katara begged. "He's kind of an idiot sometimes!"

"I didn't mean to get us all in trouble, I just wanted to ride the elephant koi," Amaya explained. "If you'll just let us go, we'll leave."

"How do we know you aren't Fire Nation spies?" demanded the man in blue. "Kyoshi has stayed out of this infernal war so far, and we mean to keep it that way!"

"This island is named for Kyoshi?" Amaya asked. "I know Kyoshi!"

"Hah!" snorted the man. "Avatar Kyoshi died over four hundred years ago! You could not possibly know her."

"I know her," Amaya said, shifting nervously. "Because I sort of, kind of, _am_ her. I'm Amaya. I'm the Avatar."

"Impossible!" said the warrior who was apparently sensitive about her gender. "The last Avatar was an Airbender! He disappeared a hundred years ago!"

"I'm back!" Amaya sang, then giggled.

"Throw them to the Unagi!" ordered the man. The women in green drew fans from their belts, advancing towards them ominously.

"This would be a really great time for proof," Sokka suggested weakly. Amaya kicked off from the ground, soared a good thirty feet into the air, and then landed lightly.

"It's true," whispered the old man.

"You are the Avatar!" smiled the girl.

"Yup!" Amaya grinned, bowing. "Fulfilling all your Avatar needs!"

* * *

><p>It is incredibly impressive how quickly news can pass from person to person, place to place. News also happens to get quite easily to the person you least wanted it to. News is cruel that way.<p>

"The Avatar is on Kyoshi?" Zuko exclaimed, standing up from the dinner table. "Uncle, have the rhinos prepared. She's not getting away this time."

"Are you going to finish that?" Iroh asked, looking at the fish his nephew had abandoned.

"I was saving it for later!" Zuko roared, snatching the plate and stomping away. Iroh pouted

* * *

><p>"Desert for breakfast," Amaya whimpered, biting into a hot strawberry cake. "Mmm. I'm never leaving!"<p>

"We have to go at some point," Katara giggled, trying her own orange pastry.

"Come on Sokka, you better get some of this deliciousness before it's gone," Amaya said, grabbing an apple pastry.

"Not hungry," Sokka pouted from where he was slumped in the corner.

Amaya froze. "Oh no, Sokka's seriously sick. Someone get a doctor!"

Katara laughed. "He's just mad that a bunch of girls kick his butt."

"They snuck up on me!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet and storming over to the low table filed with sweet.

"Right," Katara nodded.

"And then you had your butt handed to you," Amaya grinned, taking another bite of her pastry.

Sokka stomped away, came back, gathered some food, and stomped away again, muttering all the while.

"I don't get his problems with the Kyoshi Warriors," Amaya shrugged. "I want to talk to Suki and see if she can teach me to fight with those fans they use. I mean, they'd be great for Airbending with, and if I can use them without bending too, so much the better!"

"That's a really good idea, Amaya!" Katara praised.

"It's been known to happen," she grinned snatching one last cake and heading out the door, straight for the Kyoshi Warrior's dojo.

When she arrived, Suki was leading her Warriors through a series of forms.

"Avatar," she said, and they all bowed formally. Amaya shook her head. The Warriors looked up curiously. Suki was shocked when the Avatar then bowed to _her_.

"Avatar, what…?" Suki asked, at a loss. Amaya straightened and smiled.

"Just Amaya, please. And I've come wondering if you could do me the honor of teaching me?" Amaya asked.

"Why do you want to learn?" Suki asked in surprise.

"It.. seems interesting, and I need to know how to defend myself in a situation where I can't display my bending," Amaya said. She knew she had to be serious here; these were proud warriors, used to having to fight for respect.

Suki looked to the Warriors behind her and then nodded. "Very well Avatar. We will teach you. But you'll have to follow all of our traditions."

Amaya nodded. "Willingly," she grinned.

"Alright then," Suki smiled. "Girls, let's get her suited up!"

Amaya found herself rushed to a corner with another Kyoshi Warrior.

"Hi, I'm Hiromi," smiled the Warrior. "And I'll be your outfitter today."

"Nice to meet you Hiromi," Amaya grinned. "So, what do I wear?"

Hiromi turned and dug around in a chest of spare clothes behind her, rummaging through them.

"Here, put these on," she ordered, handing her one of the ornate, green armored kimonos worn by the Kyoshi Warriors. "Just to see if they fit."

Amaya shucked her skirt and her shirt, yanking on the clothes. The top was way too baggy, and the skirts pooled around her waist. Hiromi frowned and dug in the trunk again.

"Try these," she said, handing her a smaller garment. "You have a tiny waist!"

"Not really," Amaya shrugged, pulling on this version.

"Good!" Hiromi smiled when the kimono fit. She moved to a cabinet next to the box and opened it, revealing a shelf of the metal Kyoshi Warrior headpieces, and a row of their soft leather boots. "Find some shoes that fit while I look through the headdresses."

Amaya sat on the ground, grabbed a pair of boots that looked about right and pulled them on. They were too snug, so she grabbed another pair and yanked them on. These were a much better fit, and she stood up right into the hat Hiromi pulled from the closet.

"Ow," she winced, rubbing her head. "That's hard."

"Its metal," Hiromi laughed. "That's kind of a good thing."

Amaya slipped on the headpiece while Hiromi showed her how to tighten it in place appropriately.

"Alright, sit down," Hiromi said, pointing to the trunk. Amaya sat down while Hiromi pulled a set of brushes and some makeup from the cabinet.

Quickly, with skilled hand, Hiromi painted her face white, extended her eyebrows and painted under them dramatically. Finally, she painted her lips dark red before placing a Kyoshi Warrior headpiece on her head.

"How do you do that every day?" Amaya asked curiously as Hiromi lead her back into the main part of the dojo.

"Ready to get started?" Suki asked. Amaya nodded happily. "Good. Now, here are your fans."

Amaya took them, flicking them out and back in, simultaneously and quickly.

"Good!" Suki congratulated her, surprised. "How did you know how to grip them?"

"We did a little work with fans at the Air Temple, but mostly just how to use them to amplify your Airbending. Nothing else," Amaya explained.

"Well then, you've got a good start," Suki mused. "The silk threads symbolize the brave blood flowing through our veins. The gold insignia," she continued, producing a pair of wrist guards from behind her back with a gold crest on them. "Symbolizes the honor of the warrior's heart. Our makeup is designed to intimidate enemies. We use our fans to redirect their energy and use it against them. Understand?"

"Understand," Amaya nodded, strapping on the wrist guards.

She spent the next half hour following the Kyoshi Warriors through their basic exercises, pausing every now and then as Suki corrected her form or her grip.

"Want to try a few forms?" Suki asked once they finished warming up.

"Bring it on," Amaya grinned.

"Okay, so this is how to block a basic punch," Suki coached. "Take a stance." Amaya crouched slightly, centering her weight. "When I punch, you bring your fan up and push out, aiming for my armpit."

"Okay," Amaya nodded. "Let's try this."

Suki drew back her arm and punched. Amaya shifted her weight, pulled back her arm, and pushed her fan forwards, aiming for Suki's armpit. She connected solidly, and watched as Suki winced and paused.

"See?" she said. "The fan kept me far enough back that I couldn't connect. You learn fast."

"You're a good teacher," Amaya grinned. Suki smiled back.

"Thanks. Now, try again. I'm not going to give you any warning though."

"Okay," Amaya nodded. She stayed centered as she and Suki circled. Suki jumped forwards unexpectedly, throwing a punch. Amaya reacted instinctively, pushing out with her fan towards Suki's underarm.

"Good job," Suki winced when the fan connected. "Want to try a kick?"

And so it went, Suki coaching her through form after form, teaching her to block different attacks, and how to use her fan to redirect the force of a punch or kick.

"So, like this?" Amaya asked. She spun in a semi circle, ending with one leg extended along with the same arm, her fan in her other hand, drawn back. She shifted her weight to her extended leg, closing the fan and bringing it forwards, connecting he handle with the pressure point of an imaginary enemy. She turned again, leaning to the side and opening her fan to redirect an enemy's attack, forcing it to the side. She lifted up one leg and balanced, while twisting her fan in delicate patterns. Lowering her leg, she kicked back with one leg, leaning forwards to strike with her closed fan so that she looked like a T.

"Good job," Suki congratulated. "You would make a good Kyoshi Warrior if you stayed."

"I want to learn what I can while I'm here, but learning Waterbending is more important," Amaya explained, before adding hastily. "No offence, or anything."

"No, I get it," Suki nodded. "You're the Avatar, you have to learn all four elements."

"Thanks for the lesson. Can I come back tomorrow and learn more?" Amaya asked.

"Sure."

"Great. Thanks again!" Amaya called cheerfully a she left, sliding her fans into her sash. She hurried to the room she and Katara were sharing, pulling off her Warrior clothes and pulling on her regular ones before heading down to the beach, eager for a swim to cool down.

One might wonder why she was going swimming in the same water as the Unagi. The answer was simple. Firstly, she was sweaty and tired, and secondly, she wondered what the Unagi looked like.

Amaya waded into the water after leaving her clothes on shore, smiling in the deliciously cool water. She swam out a few yards and floated calmly in the water. She closed her eyes, floating happily as the sun played soothingly on her face.

She really was tired from her workout…

* * *

><p><em>Amaya was in chains, on her knees before a throne wreathed in fire. She had never seen the place, but she knew exactly where she was. The Throne Room of the Fire Palace. <em>

_A dark figure was concealed behind the wall of flames in front of her. It had to be Fire Lord Ozai. Someone was behind her too, she could hear whoever it was breathing._

"_You have done me a great service," Ozai congratulated the person behind her. "You have brought me my greatest enemy, and placed her at my feet."_

"_No!" roared a familiar voice. Amaya's head jerked in the direction of the noise. Prince Zuko stood in the shadows of an ornately carved column, horror on his face as he looked at her. Strangely enough, no one reacted to the Prince's shout. It was like she was the only one who could see him._

"_It was my honor," said the person behind her, continuing the conversation. The voice marked the person as a male. "Prince Zuko had no hope. He was useless and weak."_

"_He was," agreed the Fire Lord. Zuko's face fell._

_The man behind her grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back, unable to catch herself, Amaya was thrown onto her back. She braced herself to hit the hard stone floor, but to her surprise, she was suddenly lying in her bed in the Southern Air Temple._

_Sunlight streamed through the window, lighting the room. Through the window drifted the smell of flowers and cooking food. The murmurs of the monks and grumbling of the flying bison drifted in as well, blending into a medley she knew very well. This was the Temple before the Fire Nation invaded._

_The wooden door across from her bed opened, revealing a curious-looking Prince Zuko. _

"_Hey Zuko," she greeted cheerfully, surprised at herself. "Sit down. I wanted to talk to you."_

_She crossed her legs and gestured to the open piece of mattress across from her. Cautiously, the Prince stepped inside and sat opposite her._

"_What do you want, Avatar?" he asked._

"_Well," Amaya mused. "I was wondering why you are so determined to stalk me, actually."_

_He frowned for a moment and seemed to think, before answering, "If I capture you and return you to my father, he will restore my honor and my place on the throne. I've been looking for you for two years."_

"_So , I'm like your life's mission?" she chuckled. The Prince snorted._

"_Hardly."_

"_Aw, hurtful," she snickered. Absently, she took his hand and began doodling on it with her finger. _

"_What are you doing?" he asked._

"_Nothing," she shrugged. "Drawing an Airbender arrow, actually."_

"_Why?"_

"_I don't know," she shrugged. "You keep dreaming me up, so I've got to entertain myself somehow, don't I?"_

"_I'm dreaming you here?" the Prince asked in surprise. Amaya nodded. _

"_Yeah. I wish you'd quit it. I want to have my own dreams too you know. It's interesting to see how your mind works though."_

_They were silent for a moment, until Amaya lifted her other hand, stretching it out curiously towards his scar. His hand flew up, gripping her wrist tightly, painfully. Amaya winced._

"_What's wrong?" she asked._

"_No one touches it," he snapped. Amaya pouted._

"_Why?" she asked. "Besides, I'm just curious. It's only a dream, what harm could it do?"_

_He seemed to debate this for a while, before slowly releasing her wrist. Amaya smiled soothingly at him and her fingers brushed along the underside of his scar, along his cheekbone. Zuko closed his eyes, tensing._

"_I'll stop if it bothers you," she said quietly. He shook his head. Softly, she trailed her fingers over his face, along his squinted eye, around the curve of his burned ear, following the line of where his eyebrow would be if it wasn't burned away._

_Zuko's eyes flew open as he felt hot breath on his face. The Avatar's face was an inch from his. She looked into his eyes for a moment, before gently brushing her lips along his scarred cheek._

"_That wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked. He shook his head. "Good. Now wake up so I can leave, and don't drown in real life."_

Amaya's eye flew open as salt water rushed up her nose, in her mouth, stinging her eyes. Floundering, she burst to the surface, hacking and coughing. Water droplets beat down on her head. Amaya looked up.

"The Unagi, I presume?" she mumbled. Looming above her was a long black sea monster with a thin, lean body. Sharp spikes lined its back, a fin protruding from the top of its head. Four yellow stripes rested on each side of its neck behind its large, serpentine head. Greenish yellow eyes stared down at her hungrily. Two long barbels trailed from its jaw.

"Aren't you a pretty monster?" she cooed. Perhaps she was crazy, but Amaya did actually find the Unagi to be a very impressive, beautiful creature.

The monster responded by opening its mouth and sending a jet of water at her. Amaya swung her arms to the side and Airbended herself to the side quickly. The jet followed her as she shoved herself through the water.

"Bad Unagi!" she yelled after the spraying stopped. "Bad Unagi!"

Surprisingly, the monster paused, lowering its head.

"Amaya!" Katara yelled from the shore. "Get out of there, now! It's gonna eat you!"

"It's a nice sea monster, I think!" Amaya called back. "Aren't you?" she asked it. The Unagi lowered its head to her height, resting on the water as it stared at her through one big eye. "Aren't you boy?" She swam forwards cautiously, placing a hand on the side of its head. Slowly, the stroked the smooth, rubbery skin.

"Oh my gosh," Katara mumbled on shore as Amaya eagerly scrambled on top of the Unagi's head. It rose up, lifting her high into the air.

"What is she doing?" demanded the old man, Chief Oyaji. "She's crazy!"

"Actually, I think it likes her," Katara giggled. The Unagi rolled over in the water, exposing its underside. Amaya laughed and slid down its chin to its belly. Katara and Oyaji watched in surprise as she began rubbing its belly.

"I'll be a hogmonkey's uncle," Oyaji mumbled.

* * *

><p><em>Zuko found himself facing a wooden door. Perhaps a cliché beginning to a dream, but there you go. Around him was just empty white space. With nothing else to do, he opened the door and look inside.<em>

_The Avatar was reclining on her bed, looking out the window sadly as the sun illuminated her face. She turned to see him standing there. _

_Hey Zuko," she greeted cheerfully. Zuko blinked. Why was she being nice to him, even in a dream? More importantly, why didn't he feel the usual urge to take her captive? "Sit down," she continued. "I wanted to talk to you."_

_She crossed her legs and gestured to the open piece of mattress across from her. Cautiously, Zuko stepped inside and where she gestured. What's the worst that could happen?_

"_What do you want, Avatar?" he demanded._

"_Well," Amaya mused. "I was wondering why you are so determined to stalk me, actually."_

_He frowned. Normally, he would attack anyone for saying that, but since this was just a dream, he decided to answer honestly. "If I capture you and return you to my father, he will restore my honor and my place on the throne. I've been looking for you for two years."_

"_So , I'm like your life's mission?" she chuckled, eyes glittering mischievously at him. Zuko snorted._

"_Hardly."_

"_Aw, hurtful," she snickered, placing a hand delicately at her collar bone. Her smile faded and her hand dropped. Watching her hands vaguely, she took his hand and began doodling on it with her finger. _

"_What are you doing?" he asked, confused._

"_Nothing," she shrugged. "Drawing an Airbender arrow, actually."_

"_Why?"_

"_I don't know," she shrugged again. "You keep dreaming me up, so I've got to entertain myself somehow, don't I?"_

"_I'm dreaming you here?" Zuko asked in surprise. Was that even possible? Amaya nodded. _

"_Yeah. I wish you'd quit it," she replied. "I want to have my own dreams too you know. It's interesting to see how your mind works though."_

_They were silent for a moment, until Amaya lifted her other hand, stretching it out curiously towards his scar. His hand flew up instinctively, gripping her wrist tightly as he glared at her. Amaya winced._

"_What's wrong?" she asked._

"_No one touches it," he snapped. She pouted at him._

"_Why?" she asked innocently. "Besides, I'm just curious. It's only a dream, what harm could it do?"_

_Zuko's brow furrowed in thought. She was right, he was dreaming. He slowly released her wrist. Amaya smiled soothingly at him and her fingers brushed along the underside of his scar, along his cheekbone. Zuko closed his eyes, tensing._

"_I'll stop if it bothers you," she said quietly. He shook his head. Softly, she trailed her fingers over his face, along his squinted eye, around the curve of his burned ear, following the line of where his eyebrow would be if it wasn't burned away._

_Zuko's eyes flew open as he felt hot breath on his face. The Avatar's face was an inch from his. She looked into his eyes for a moment, before gently brushing her lips along his scarred cheek._

"_That wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked. He shook his head. "Good. Now wake up so I can leave, and don't drown in real life."_

Zuko's eyes shot open as he sat up in bed. He groaned and fell back as his head slammed into something hard. He opened his eyes to see his uncle standing over him, rubbing his head and wincing.

"What is it uncle?" Zuko demanded. He sat up and grabbed a shirt that was lying nearby, yanking it on.

"The captain says we should be at Kyoshi Island by late tomorrow," Iroh replied. "Prince Zuko, you have a very hard forehead."

Zuko ignored that last comment, merely nodding as he stared at the floor. Iroh frowned, watching his nephew.

"Prince Zuko, is everything alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Fine, uncle," Zuko grunted.

"You seem to be having dreams that are disturbing you lately," Iroh noticed. "You've seemed quite unnerved when you wake up."

"It's nothing," Zuko sighed.

"Zuko, you can talk to me about anything, you know that," Iroh said, sitting on the bed beside his nephew.

"It's the Avatar," Zuko revealed.

"What about her?"

"I keep dreaming about her."

"Ah," Iroh nodded. "Well, you are at an age where…."

"Not like that!" Zuko shouted, standing up and crossing to his desk. "She just keeps showing up!"

"How so?" Iroh asked.

"I once dreamed she was in front of my father, but I hadn't brought her there. Zhao did."

"I would imagine that is just a manifestation of some worry you will fail," Iroh explained. "Dreams often show some of our deepest worries and fears, the things that plague our mind. It is natural now that you have a face to put to the title you would dream about her, focused as you are on capturing her."

"There's something else." Zuko said, hanging his head as he stared at the papers scattered across the surface of his desk.

"What?" Iroh asked. It was rare that Zuko allowed himself to open up to his uncle, so Iroh was naturally very curious.

"In another dream, she touched my scar."

Iroh sighed. This was what was bothering his nephew. "Zuko, the two are closely connected. Your father gave it to you, just as he gave you the mission to capture the Avatar."

"Thank you uncle," Zuko said by way of dismissal. Iroh rose and left, leaving Zuko to his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Amaya woke early the next day refreshed and cheerful, eager to learn more from Suki. She dressed in her Kyoshi Warrior outfit, stuck her fans in her sash, and headed for the dojo, eager to get in a little bit of review before everyone else showed up.<p>

She was glad to find the building empty. Amaya drew her fans, slowly moving through the forms from yesterday, striking and twisting, enjoying the sharp snap of the metal fan as it opened and closed.

"Getting in some practice?"

Amaya turned to see Katara leaning in the doorway.

"Hey!" Amaya greeted happily. "Yeah. Suki's a really good teacher."

"Sokka doesn't agree," she chuckled.

"Well, Sokka's still bitter," Amaya shrugged. "It's all really interesting."

"So, explain some of this to me," Katara said, taking one of Amaya's fans and examining it. "It's metal," she noted curiously.

"Wood would break too easily," she explained. Katara nodded.

"How do they open and close these things so fast?" Katara asked, swishing the fan absently.

"Like this," Amaya said, snapping her fan open and closed sharply. Katara mimicked her grip, flicking her wrist sharply.

"Like this?" she asked.

"Yeah," Amaya congratulated.

"So, you made friends with the Unagi," Katara said. Amaya smiled.

"Animals like me," she shrugged.

"Katara?" she two friends turned to see Suki come in. "What are you doing here?"

"I just stopped in to see how Amaya was doing," Katara said.

"Oh," Suki nodded. "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but we need to start soon, so…"

"I get it," Katara assured her. "See you later Amaya, Suki."

"Bye Katara," Amaya waved. Suki nodded to her and smiled.

"So, let's see how much you remember from yesterday," Suki challenged.

Amaya reviewed with Suki, who occasionally shifted her stance or grip a little if she forgot. Steadily, more and more Warriors came in until they were all there. Once they were all ready, Suki began the exercises.

"Sorry ladies, didn't mean to interrupt your dace lesson."

Amaya gritted her teeth as Sokka appeared in the door way, smiling cockily. If he didn't shut up soon, Suki was going to kick his butt again, and this time she would make it embarrassing.

"I was looking for a place to work out," Sokka continued, stretching his shoulders as he did.

"You've come to the right place," Suki said sweetly. "Sorry about yesterday, I didn't realize you were friends with the Avatar."

"It's fine," Sokka snorted. "Normally I would hold a grudge, but since you're a bunch of girls, I guess I can make an exception."

"I should hope so," Suki smiled innocently while the other Warriors smiled behind her, laughing behind their hands. "A big, strong man like you. We wouldn't have a chance!"

"True," Sokka acknowledged. "Don't feel bad, I'm the best warrior in my village."

"Wow, really?" Suki asked in faux awe. "Best warrior in your whole village? Why don't you give us a little demonstration?"

"Oh, well, I don't know," Sokka hedged nervously. Amaya grinned. He was afraid Suki would beat him again.

"Come on girls, wouldn't you like him to teach us a few moves?"

"Oh, yeah!"

"Sure!"

"We'd love it!"

"Well, if you want me too," Sokka said confidently. "I'd be happy to." He grabbed Suki's shoulders and moved her. "Now, you stand here." He blacked up some and took a poorly balance stance, waving a hand around. "This may be tough, but I want you to _try_ and block me."

Amaya grinned as Sokka punched and Suki's fan slammed home under his shoulder. He backed up sharply, rubbing the abused body part and wincing.

"Of course, I was going easy on you," he said in an attempt to salvage his pride.

"Oh, of course," Suki nodded, smiling.

"Let's see if you can handle this!" Sokka kicked out. Suki ducked under her leg and caught the back of his upper thigh with her fan, forcing Sokka's leg up higher so that he lost his footing, falling backwards. "That's it!" he yelled, getting up and rushing at Suki. She calmly grabbed his arm, spinning him around with his own momentum, before yanking him backwards and spinning him that way. She forced him to stop, throwing him out of balance. When Sokka leaned forwards, about to go down, she snatched his belt and wrapped it securely around his flailing hand and foot, tying them together. Sokka was left hopping around, trying not to fall. He failing dismally, face-planting a moment later.

"Anything else you want to teach us?" Suki teased. Amaya rolled her eyes, stepping forwards and setting Sokka free.

"Still think girls are sissies?" Amaya teased as he left, his ego smarting. "Impressive, Suki. Truly, you are skilled for a girl."

Suki laughed, and training resumed.

"He's gonna come back you know," Amaya commented to Suki as she helped her through a more advanced form. "Probably to apologize."

"Hey Suki."

"Oh, that was creepy," Amaya mumbled as Sokka appeared in the dojo again.

"Want another dance lesson?" Suki snapped.

"No, I-… I."

"Spit it out!" Suki ordered. "Why are you here?"

Sokka looked like a cornered animal for a moment, before he got down on his knees in front of Suki, who looked surprised.

"I would be honored if you would teach me," he said quietly.

"Even if I'm a girl?"

"I'm sorry I offended you. I was wrong," Sokka admitted.

"We normally don't teach outsiders, let alone boys."

"Please make an exception. I won't let you down."

"Alright."

Amaya was surprised. Was Suki actually going to teach him?

"But you have to follow all of our traditions," she warned. Amaya smiled. Oh, Suki was good.

"Of course!" Sokka agreed eagerly.

"I mean all of them," Suki stressed.

"Katara, some here!" Amaya called to Katara as she passed by the dojo.

"What's up Ama-? Oh my gosh!" Katara doubled over laughing at the sight of her brother in full Kyoshi Warrior garb, face paint and dress included. "Never let me forget this sight!"

"Never," Amaya swore. "Okay, now you're free to go, I knew you'd want to see that though."

"I hate you guys," Sokka mumbled, blushing through his white powder.

"How could I not love my only sister?" Katara called back as she left, chuckling. Sokka sagged, sighing.

So Sokka joined them for training, and now Suki was coaching him as well as Amaya while the other went their separate ways for the day. Sokka was getting better, as was Amaya.

"Like I said earlier, you can't master this in one or two days. Even I'm not that good," Suki smiled as she tested them individually. Sokka stood across from her, ready to take his turn. She punched out with her open fan. Sokka punched as well, diverting her attack along his wrist guards.

"Not bad," Suki complimented.

"Firebenders have landed on our shores!" Oyaji said, appearing in the doorway looking harried and stressed. "Come quickly girls!"

Suki and Amaya immediately ran out, Sokka following behind, yelling, "I'm not a girl!"

Suki immediately took up her job of getting the Kyoshi Warriors into defensive positions, while Amaya helped get everyone inside and out of the way. Doors leading to houses filled with sick and elderly were barricaded from the inside, to keep the Firebenders out. Crying children had to be coaxed back to parents and hustled inside.

All was still when they came; a few brave or curious townspeople peering out their doors as Zuko and some of his soldiers appeared on four komodo rhinos.

"Come out Avatar!" Zuko called, the sound echoing in the still village. "You can't hide from me forever!"

No one came out, but the townspeople ducked inside, shutting doors and windows behind them.

"Find her," Zuko ordered. The three other komodo rhinos, each with two soldiers apiece, rode forwards down the main street as their riders looked in windows they passed.

Amaya was crouched behind a house. She could see the Kyoshi Warriors, she knew what she was looking for. The sharp _shick_ of a fan opening was clear once she listened for it. A flash of green streaked across the alleyway on the opposite side of the street. She heard feet crunching through snow, and then looked up to see three Warriors take down one of the soldiers from the front rhino, another leaping after them to deal with the other soldier.

"Go!" Amaya hissed to herself, before flying into the fray. She dodged a spear one Warrior yanked from a soldiers grip, leaping at the now unarmed man with the other Warrior. They knocked him to the ground. Amaya flicked off his helmet with one fan, sliding an edge underneath and jerking, before bringing the other one in quickly to land a solid hit on hit temple. That was one down, five to go. Plus a very angry Fire Prince.

Suki dashed past her, and Amaya looked up to see her headed straight for Zuko. Zuko punched a stream of fire at her, but Suki easily sidestepped, still running. He swiped at her feet and she leapt into the air. Zuko snarled and whipped his komodo rhino around, catching Suki with the tail and sending her flying.

Amaya stood up and started forward, about to help Suki, but suddenly Sokka was in front of her, blocking a fire blast with his fan. Another Kyoshi Warrior leapt from a rooftop, taking Zuko down with her momentum and knocking him onto a porch.

Suki, Sokka, and the other Warrior circled him. Zuko growled, spinning on his hands and his feet trailed fire. Suki was slammed into a support beam, while the other went flying through the door. Sokka jumped the first blast, but Zuko came back around, hooking Sokka's knees with his leg. Sokka hit the ground hard, dazed. Zuko leapt up, landing in the center of the street.

"Nice try, Avatar," he sneered. "But these little girls can't save you."

"Hey!" Amaya protested, moving from another soldier she had taken down. "I happen to be one of those little girls, and I quite like them!" Zuko turned to face her, smiling triumphantly.

"Absorbing the local culture?" he sneered.

"Learning to kick your butt," she corrected. She leapt into the air, twirling, her fans slicing through the air around her and carrying her higher. She landed a few feet from Zuko, taking a ready stance, fans held defensively. She found she was quite enjoying how the fans worked with her bending.

"Ready to dance?" she asked, eyes sparking, heart pounding. Zuko growled, punching forwards. Amaya followed Suki's advice and struck his unarmored underarm with one fan while diverting the stream of fire with her other fan. Zuko pulled back, surprised.

"You're learning," he growled. He twisted and launched a kick at her head, and Amaya remembered how Suki had dealt with Sokka. She ducked under his leg, closing one fan as she did, and jerked up, throwing Zuko out of balance. He flew backwards. Amaya inhaled and then blew forcefully through a tiny hole in her lips, concentrating all of her wind on Zuko's chest. He slammed through a wall with a pained yell.

"Amaya!" Katara yelled. Amaya looked over to see Katara holding her glider. She threw it to her, and Amaya caught it, stowing her fans and taking off.

Her heart dropped as she stared at the town. Everything was burning. Everything. Every building was smoking; even the statue of Kyoshi was on fire.

"Get Appa!" Amaya ordered Katara, who was running along below her. Katara nodded, darting down an alleyway towards where they were keeping Appa. Amaya flew overhead, taking in the damage and looking for Sokka.

She found him hunkered behind a building, Suki's lips on his cheek.

"No time for romance Sokka, we've gotta go!" Amaya yelled. She swooped back, landing beside the pair. "Thanks for everything Suki, but we've got to go," she said. Suki nodded. "They'll follow us when we leave. I'm sorry for all that's happened."

"We'll fix it," Suki assured her. Amaya smiled.

"Come on Sokka, we've gotta go!" Amaya said. She swooped over the building while Sokka ran around. Katara had Appa ready and waiting a little down the street. She landed lightly on Appa's saddle, looking back to check on Sokka, who was scrambling up Appa's tail, still not used to his dress.

Behind him, she caught sight of Zuko rising from the remains of the wall he had crashed through.

"Hurry up, we've gotta move!" she called back to Sokka. Sokka jumped the last few feet into Appa's saddle. "Yip yip!" Amaya ordered. Appa took off, soaring up and over the town.

From the air, the devastation looked even worse. Smoke covered the entire town like a blanket, tiny sobs ringing through the air from small children. Unconscious bodies littered the ground, thankfully all Fire Nation.

"No," Amaya hissed, taking in the sight of the burning statue of Kyoshi. She was born here, and that meant Amaya was born here. She was not about to let this village burn anymore.

"Are you insane?" Katara demanded as Amaya slid off of Appa, staff in hand, plunging down into the ocean.

"Unagi!" Amaya yelled as she fell. From beneath her, she saw a long, dark shape coming towards the surface. She hit the water hard, bubbles flying up all around her. The Unagi was right in front of her, looking at her curiously.

Quickly, she swam around behind it and grabbed its barbels, using them like Appa's reins. She pulled up and the Unagi listened, surfacing. Amaya leaned back, coaxing the Unagi's mouth open. Water sprayed from its throat, soaking the village. The flickering flames died, and the smoke dissipated.

"Thanks," Amaya said to the Unagi, rubbing its head softly. She flipped into the air and opened her glider, flying back to Appa and landing on his saddle. "I'm only a little crazy Katara."

Katara laughed.


	4. In Which Pirate Butts Are Kicked

"I missed Omashu," Amaya smiled as the city came into view. "I really missed it."

Katara and Sokka stared in awe at the city of four main pyramidal structures rising out of a tall, wide pillar of rock. A flat, winding path lead up to the city gates.

"We don't have anything like this in the South Pole," Katara said.

"They have buildings that don't melt," Sokka said in awe.

"I used to come here to visit Bumi," Amaya smiled. "He was my best friend in the Earth Kingdom. The monks didn't like him though, because you know, they're monks, and he was a guy, and I'm a girl. Gyatso used to sneak me along when he went to Omashu so I could see him."

"So, whatever happened to Bumi?" Katara asked.

"Dunno," Amaya shrugged. "I guess he's probably dead. He'd be over a hundred by now. Then again, he always said he'd live to be over a hundred if it killed him. Well, come on. Let's get inside! I want to show you something!"

"Wait Amaya, hold on," Katara cautioned, ever the voice of reason. "You're kind of obvious you know, with the _arrows_."

"I can't exactly wash them off," Amaya frowned. "What do you want me to do?"

"We could cut your hair differently, give you bangs," Sokka suggested.

"No!" Amaya protested, clutching her braid. "My hair! Stay back!"

"Okay, that's a no," Sokka sighed.

"I know!" Amaya grinned. She dug in her bag and pulled out the outfit Suki gave her, for a Kyoshi Warrior. Sokka had instantly ditched his dress, but Amaya had kept hers on the off chance she would need it again. She stepped behind Appa and redressed, pulling out the little jars of makeup Suki had given her that she kept inside the rolled up dress. Amaya applied it as well as she could without being able to see her face.

"Did I do okay?" Amaya asked, stepping out from behind Appa. Katara gave her a thumbs up.

"A little smudged, but…." Sokka trailed off when he saw the looks Katara and Amaya gave him. "Suki got to me," he sighed.

"Little bit," Amaya agreed. "Alright, so I'm a Kyoshi Warrior and who are you?"

"We can be your friends," Katara suggested. "You know, since we are."

"Eh, fine, be boring," Amaya said, shaking a finger at Katara. "Now come on!"

"ROTTEN CABBAGES!"

"Random," Amaya commented as they looked at the roar from one of the guards at the Omashu gates.

"What kind of a slum do you think this is?" continued the guard. He shoved a slab of rock up underneath the cabbage merchants cart and sent it flying over the side of the pathway, tumbling down several hundred feet.

"My cabbages!" wailed the man as he streaked past them after said vegetables.

"Just smile and act innocent," Amaya advised nervously. "Just a Kyoshi Warrior and her friends, out for a visit to the big city."

The guard swept a rock over Amaya's head as they approached, holding it there, ready to squash her.

"State your business," he ordered.

"My friends and I have come to visit friends," Amaya replied calmly.

"What're your names?" demanded the guard.

"I'm, uh, Makato, and this is Chikiko and Kazuo."

"Alright, enjoy your visit," said the guard, bored.

In front of them, the gates ground open grandly, three segments of thick stone moved by Earthbending.

"Come on," 'Makato' said, and she and 'Chikiko' and 'Kazuo' entered the city.

"Chikiko?" Katara demanded. "Seriously?"

"It popped into my head," Amaya defended herself. Katara sighed, and then gasped as Omashu came into sight.

It really was a spectacular city, filled with tiered buildings and sloping green tiled roofs. Piles of snow still remained from the cold winter. The bare branches of trees were reaching for the sky, snow settled in little Us in the branches. People milled around, those farther away looking like ants.

Amaya smiled. She was glad to be back.

* * *

><p>And a day later Amaya was glad to leave it, ranting as she walked.<p>

"I hate him!" she screamed, drawing the attention of several guards standing nearby. "I don't care if he's my best friend, I hate him! That stupid, wonderful, crazy, genius!"

"I can't tell if she's mad at Bumi or not," Katara hissed to Sokka.

"I don't think she knows either," Sokka shrugged in reply.

"I mean, why not just say, 'Hey Aya, I'm Bumi, your old pal, and I have wisdom to impart!'" Amaya continued. "It's not like I wouldn't have laughed in his face and said 'I'm not listening!' If he had told me who he was I would have seen it immediately. There can only be one person as crazy as Bumi!"

"Ma'am, could you keep your voice down?" asked a guard. "You're disturbing the peaceful day and some people have complained."

"Bite me," Amaya mumbled as they stalked away.

* * *

><p>"Sokka, so help me, tell me you have more than nuts," Amaya begged.<p>

"Hey!" Sokka protested. "I think I did well!"

"You found six nuts for three people, a lemur, and a giant bison," Katara pointed out. "_One_ of us can have a _snack_."

"I vote we eat Sokka," Amaya suggested.

"Woks for me," Katara shrugged, grinning as Sokka scooted away from them.

"Hey!" he protested.

BANG!

"Uh, was that you?" Amaya asked Katara.

BANG!

"It's coming from that way!" Katara yelled, and she and Amaya were immediately on their feet, running towards the bangs.

"It's generally a good rule to run away from ominous booms!" Sokka protested. Everyone ignored him. "Just saying!"

Katara and Amaya streaked trough the underbrush in a crouch, heading for the noises. Sokka caught up with the two, panting, and was promptly jerked down to hide behind a rocky outcropping.

Katara and Amaya were staring at a boy in green clothes, watching him curiously. He lifted a boulder about his size into the air, swirling it in a circle around him. He paused, the boulder hovering in front of him, before driving it into the rock wall of the little valley he was practicing in.

"An Earthbender," Amaya muttered happily. "Cool!"

"Let's meet him!" Katara suggested perkily.

"He could be dangerous," Sokka cautioned. "We should approach-"

"Hello there!"

"Too late," Amaya sing-songed as she climbed over the outcropping after Katara, who was waving cheerfully to the Earthbender.

He whirled to face them. Amaya frowned. Was it just her, or did he look… scared?

"I'm Amaya!" she called. The boy streaked away, pulling down a blockade of loose stones behind him. "Okay, I know we haven't had the time to really get pretty the last few days, but seriously? I'm kind of offended here."

"I don't think that's it," Sokka chuckled.

"I just wanted to say hi," Katara said sadly.

"Apparently, he wanted to run off dramatically," Amaya shrugged, then smiled. "And he's gotta be going somewhere. Maybe there's a village nearby! And villages have markets. Do you know what this means?" she asked earnestly.

"No nuts!" Katara grinned.

"Whoo! After that guy!" Amaya yelled, jumping into the air and pumping her fist happily.

"Hey, I worked hard for those nuts!" Sokka protested. He got no response. Katara and Amaya were already running in the direction the boy had gone. Sokka sighed. "Yeah, I hate them too."

* * *

><p>"Want some nuts?" Amaya asked an old man. "I'll trade you for the hat!"<p>

The man chuckled, taking the nuts and handing her the hat.

"Look!" Katara pointed to a closing door.

"What's up, buttercup?" Amaya asked.

"I don't know," Katara shook her head. "Come on!"

Amaya and Sokka followed her into the shop curiously.

"It's that guy!" Amaya exclaimed. "You're the guy!"

* * *

><p>"Let's go, go, go!" Amaya yelled over the fighting. Earthbenders threw coal around, Fire streaming from their opponents. Yells and screams echoed around the prison ship as long-repressed fighting spirits burst free. "Momo!"<p>

The little flying lemur landed on her arm, dropping his bundle of spear heads to the ground.

"Good job, buddy," Amaya said tenderly, sweeping the weapons overboard. "Good job."

She scanned the fight, observing the battle. The Firebenders were flying, flung over the sides by projectile coal, snarls on the face of every Earthbender.

"Sokka!" Amaya called to the boy as he ran past. "Grab Katara, we're heading for the ships now!"

Sokka nodded, tripping a soldier as he went for Katara who was washing massive amounts of soldiers over the sides of the prison ship with her bending.

"Don't let them escape!" roared the warden. A fireball was launched at the opening in the ship wall, cutting off some of the Earthbenders making a break for the ships.

"Coal, now!" Amaya ordered Sokka and Katara, spinning the air into a funnel. Katara and Sokka dumped coal into the funnel's top, while Amaya shot it out the bottom at various soldiers. They hit the ground heavily, dazed. The coal under them began moving, drifting together and carrying the Firebenders with it. It coalesced into a huge drifting disk, hauling the warden and a few soldiers over the side, suspending them over the sea.

"No, I can't swim!" pleaded the warden.

"I hear cowards float," Tyro shrugged, letting the disk drop with his hands.

* * *

><p>"Come on, this way!" Amaya yelled as the trio streaked through the streets, running desperately from the pirates chasing them.<p>

"Why are they after us?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know!" Katara replied hastily as they turned a corner, darting down an alleyway.

"This is a problem," Amaya sighed as they came face to face with a wall. She turned to face a trio of pirates, smiling vilely as they paced leisurely down the alleyway, confident their prey was trapped.

"Now," drawled the one in green. "Who gets to taste the steel of my blade first?"

"Taste your own steel," Amaya yelled, jumping forwards and drawing her fans, flicking them open in one smooth movement. She leapt into the air, spinning, throwing wave after wave of air at the group. They flew backwards, staggering as the wind buffeted them, tearing at their clothes.

"Let's go!" Amaya yelled, spinning down the alley and keeping the pirates back with gust after gust of wind. Katara and Sokka followed after her, safe from the flattening blasts behind Amaya, who rotated as they passed the group to push the pirates back towards the wall.

Finally they were out, and Katara, Sokka, and Amaya took off running, Amaya stowing her fans as they went.

* * *

><p>"I hate pirates!" Amaya screamed as they arrived back at their camp by the river. "They're annoying, and they're stupid, and they don't smell good either!"<p>

"I don't think bathing is their top priority," Sokka said ruefully.

"There's a reason I took this," Katara said slyly. Sokka and Amaya looked up to see Katara holding up the Waterbending scroll.

"Go Kat!" Amaya nodded appreciatively, laughing.

"Katara, are you crazy?" Sokka protested. "That's why they were chasing us?"

"Hey, Sokka, calm down, what's done is done. I don't think we can really go up to them and say 'here, have your scroll back.' Katara and I might as well learn what we can. Besides, I need all the advantage I can get here."

* * *

><p>"I've checked all the shops, and not a lotus tile in sight," Iroh sighed sadly.<p>

"It's good to know this trip was a waste of time for everyone!" Zuko yelled.

"On the contrary!" Iroh said, offended. "I always say that the only thing better than finding something you were looking for, is finding something you weren't at a great bargain!"

Zuko eyed the train of soldiers loaded down with useless trinket as they paraded past towards the ship.

"You bought a sungi horn?" he blinked.

"For music night!" Iroh laughed. "If only we had some woodwinds!" He strode off down the ship, before his eye was caught by a ship docked a few piers down from theirs. "Oh this place looks promising!"

Zuko sighed and trailing after his uncle. What else was he going to do?

"What an intriguing statue!" Iroh smiled, staring at a carved stone monkey with rubies for eyes. "Wouldn't it give the galley some character?"

Zuko had long-since tuned out Iroh's mumbling, instead focusing on what the captain and his crewman were discussing in whispers.

"Water Tribe girl…. Little monk girl... traveling with…," his ears picked up. He whirled, recognizing the description.

"Did this monk have arrows on her body?" Zuko broke, in stepping forwards. The two men exchanged looks, before the captain replied.

"As a matter of fact she did. What's it to you, boy?"

"Lost your girlfriend?" chuckled the crewman.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Zuko yelled angrily.

"Whatever you say," the captain smirked.

* * *

><p>"Hold the scroll open for a minute, Amaya," Katara ordered. "I want to try this one thing first, and then you can have it."<p>

Amaya took the scroll, holding it open in front of Katara. The Waterbender examined it.

"The single water whip. Looks pretty easy."

Katara backed up towards the river and raised her arms, drawing a large bulge of water forth. She waved her arms and at first it seemed to be working. But then the water flew back suddenly, slamming into Katara's face.

Amaya chuckled, covering her mouth with a hand.

"What's so funny?" Katara grumbled at Sokka, who wasn't even trying to hide his laughter.

"You've been duped, she's only interested in teaching herself," Sokka chuckled.

"Amaya can have the scroll once I figure the water whip out!" Katara protested angrily. She raised her arms again, ignoring Sokka, who was shaking his head. The exact same thing happened, only this time it was Momo's poor rear end that took the blow. The lemur leapt up, chattering angrily and waving a fist at Katara.

"Ugh, why can't I get this stupid move right?" she exclaimed angrily.

"You'll get it," Amaya soothed, coming to stand beside her friend. She raised some water of her own and moved through the stances. "Just shift your weight as you move, and… See! There it is!"

"Shut your airhole!" Katara screamed, stalking towards Amaya, who leaned back in surprise under the verbal barrage. "This may come a shock to you, but your infinite wisdom gets a little old sometimes! Why don't we just throw the scroll away since you're so naturally gifted?"

"Fine, be like that!" Amaya yelled back. At the same time, the two girls turned away and stomped off in different directions along the riverbank.

"Girls," Sokka mumbled, throwing up his hands and shaking his head.

Later that night, as Sokka was preparing dinner, Katara and Amaya both came back from their walks, considerably less angry.

"Amaya, I'm sorry," Katara apologized. "That was uncalled for."

"It's okay," Amaya shrugged. "I guess I can come off like a know-it-all sometimes."

"Here," Katara said, presenting her with the scroll. Amaya took it with a small smile. "You can have this, you're the one that needs it. I don't want anything to do with it anymore."

"Hey, I don't mind sharing," Amaya laughed. "After all you are a Waterbender, you've got a right to want to know how to bend."

"Thanks," Katara said, and the two girls hugged tightly.

"Hey, I think Momo's the victim here," Sokka mumbled, gesturing to Momo, who was unable to sit down.

"Aw, I'm sorry Momo," Katara apologized, scooping the lemur up and snuggling his little, fuzzy body close to her chest, scratching behind his big ears.

"And there was that time when-"

"No more apologies!"

"Okay, okay," Sokka sighed. "Can't blame me for trying."

* * *

><p>Zuko was standing on the pirate's ship next to the captain, golden eyes staring around the bank coldly, searching for signs of habitations.<p>

"Why don't we stop and search the woods?" the captain protested.

"There's no reason to," Zuko replied calmly. "They stole a Waterbending scroll, right?"

"Yes."

"So they'll be on the water."

* * *

><p>Katara slipped out of her sleeping bag, crawling quietly over to where Amaya was cuddled up near the fire, blankets pulled tight around her. He bag was to her right, tossed carelessly onto the ground. Katara's hand slipped inside, rummaging quietly until her fingers brushed paper. Smiling triumphantly, she pulled out the scroll. Rising to her feet, she slipped quietly into the trees, and then out onto the riverbank, thankful for the light of the moon. That made the scroll so much easier to read.<p>

Katara unrolled the scroll and laid it across a flat rock, running a finger along the line of stances, committing them to memory.

She turned to face the river and took a few steps back before raising her hands before her, the water streaming up with them. Katara waved her arms as the scroll instructed, but the water refused to move. Angrily, she swished her arms all around, finally letting the water drop.

"Shoot!" she exclaimed. "Why can't I get this stupid move right? Come on water, work with me!"

She raised her arms again, but this time the water jerked wildly. "Maybe if I just- ow!"

Zuko's ears pricked up as angry exclamations drifted across the water to them. Beside him, the captain straightened, looking around as well.

"Okay, Katara," she instructed herself. "Remember what Amaya said. Shift your weight through the stances." As soon as she said this, the water dropped into the river with a splash. "Argh!"

A groaning, clanking sound caught her attention and Katara turned in the direction of the noise, parting the leaves of a bush to peer through. A small Fire nation ship was nestled on the bank, the gangway lowered.

Katara gasped, knowing that only one person would have a ship like that. She had to warm Amaya and Sokka. She turned and took off running, slamming straight into a bare chest. Katara looked up to find herself uncomfortably close to a pirate. Amaya was right, they did reek. She turned, but the pirate grabbed her shoulder.

"Let me go!" Katara protested, swinging her arms and slamming water into the man's face. Chocking and dripping, he let her go, angrily wiping at his sopping face. Katara ran, glancing over her shoulder to see if the man had recovered, only to slam into another chest. A hot hand wrapped around her slender wrists. Katara looked up into the scarred face of Prince Zuko.

"I'll save you from the pirates," he smirked. He shoved her hard up against a nearby tree and one of his soldiers produced a length of rope. Her hands were yanked around the tree's trunk and tied tightly together, the rope cutting into her sensitive skin.

To one side stood Zuko, his uncle, and a group of soldier. To the other, the pirate captain and his men. Neither looked good, but at this point Zuko might be the lesser of two evils. Katara had heard stories about… liberties pirates sometimes took with female captives. She shuddered at the idea of being used that way.

"Tell me where she I, and I won't hurt you or your brother," Zuko ordered.

"Go jump in the river!" Katara spat back, struggling at her bonds.

"Try to understand," Zuko coaxed in a more modulated voice, trying for a coaxing smile as he stepped towards her, circling the tree she was tied to. "I need to capture the Avatar to return something I've lost. _My honor._ Perhaps in return, I can return something you've lost."

He held out a necklace with jade beads and a gold coin. Katara laughed harshly. "That's not mine," she sneered.

"So it belongs to the Avatar," Zuko nodded. "Who would give her such a thing?"

"Amaya's guardian gave it to her!" Katara snarled, still jerking furiously in an attempt to get free. "It's not mine!"

How about this one?" Zuko smirked back, producing a strip of blue fabric with a carving attached.

Katara's struggling ceased as she stared at the necklace with longing. "My mother's necklace," she said weakly. "How did you get that?" she demanded suddenly, her anger returning tenfold.

"I didn't steal it, that's for sure," he taunted her. "Tell me where she is!"

"No!"

"Enough of this necklace garbage" the captain said in disgust. "You promised us the scroll!"

Zuko pulled the scroll from behind his back. "I wonder how much this I really worth," he said, holding it over a flame in the palm of his hand. The pirates' eyes went wide and several of them stepped forwards, word of protest springing from their lips. "A lot, apparently," Zuko smirked, pleased his ploy had worked. "If you want this back, you'll help me find the girl, and then everyone goes home happy. Search the woods and meet back here, or I burn the scroll."

"Fine," the captain spat, giving Zuko a dark look as he lead his men into the forest.

* * *

><p>Amaya rolled over, yawning and stretching her hands above her head, curling into her blankets to savor the last bits of body heat. Across the fire from her, Sokka rolled over, blearily looking towards Katara's sleeping bag, wondering why she wasn't kicking him awake or making breakfast. She was usually up before him or Amaya.<p>

An empty sleeping bag greeted his eyes.

"Where did she go?" he exclaimed, suddenly wide awake. A bad feeling in his stomach, he crawled towards the bag that contained the scroll, peering inside. Sure enough, the scroll was gone.

"I don't believe it!" Sokka said in disgust, dumping out the bag just in case he had missed it.

Amaya yawned, sitting up and blinking at Sokka blearily. "What's wrong?"

"Katara's what's wrong!" Sokka exploded. "She took the scroll. She's obsessed with that thing!"

"Hey, I told her she could use it," Amaya reminded him. "Maybe she just wanted to get some practice in before breakfast."

"I know, but still!" Sokka protested. "It's only a matter of time before she gets us all in- Ah!"

A meteor hammer flew from the trees, wrapped around Sokka's wrists, and hauled him across the grass. Amaya's eyes flicked along the line of the rope to find a familiar pirate at the end, twirling the hammer around his head. In fact, there were pirates all around their little clearing. The thick weight at the end of the meteor hammer flew towards Sokka's vulnerable head. He yelled and rolled out of the way, going for his cudgel.

Amaya leapt to her feet as Sokka rushed the pirate who had attacked him. She was grinning. This was the first fight they'd had in days, and the adrenaline was pumping through her veins, making everything so much more exciting.

A cracking stick caught her attention, and she turned to see a brawny, shirtless pirate with twin crossbows, a net stretched between them. As she watched, he fired. Instinctively, she threw a sphere of air at the net, but the thin ropes were too insubstantial, and it merely sliced right through the swirling orb, carried by the arrow's momentum, wrapping around Amaya and pinning her to the ground. Snarling, she began frantically tearing at the ropes, trying to untangle them, or simply tear them apart.

Her plans quickly ended as she rolled to another pirate's feet.

"Got her!" he exclaimed, and the trio of attackers raced away, leaving Sokka in the dust.

"What, I'm not good enough to capture!" he protested. Amaya shook her head, unable to stop her small chuckles as she tried to keep herself from twisting painfully in the net. Another net blasted past her, and soon Sokka was dragging beside her.

"That's better," he mumbled.

The pirates dragged them for a bit, but thankfully relented fairly quickly, jerking them upright and tying their wrists together, and then their arms close to their chests so they could barely move their upper bodies. Sokka and Amaya were marched out of the woods and made to stand with a group of pirates. Across from them, Zuko stood with a group of soldiers, and behind him, Katara was tied tightly to a tree.

"Nice work," Zuko congratulated them quietly, stepping forwards.

"Amaya, I'm sorry," Katara apologized. "This is all my fault!"

"No, it's not," Amaya soothed her. Unlike Sokka, she wasn't even trying to get free. She may like fighting, and hate being tied up, but she wasn't stupid. The ropes were strong and the knots were tight.

"Actually it kind of it," Iroh broke in. Amaya gave him a look that clearly said 'not helping.'

"Give me the girl," Zuko ordered. The captain shook his head.

"You give us the scroll," he challenged.

"Are you seriously trading the _Avatar_ for a stupid piece of paper with some fancy splashes on us?" Sokka said in shock, shaking his head. "Seriously?"

"Don't listen to the idiot!" Zuko protested, pointing a threatening finger at Sokka. "He's trying to turn us against each other!"

"You friend is the Avatar?" the captain asked Sokka in shock.

"Sure is!" Sokka smiled, leaning towards Amaya and nudging her. "I bet she'd fetch a pretty nice price form the Fire Lord if you took her to him."

"Shut your mouth, you useless peasant!" Zuko yelled.

"For once Sokka, I'm with the angry scarred kid," Amaya frowned, narrowing her eyes at Sokka. "Shut up!"

"I'm just saying!" Sokka shrugged innocently. "You guys would be set for life with that kind of money. You could practically buy an island for that amount of cash!"

"Keep your scroll," the captain chuckled. "We could buy a hundred with the money we'll get for the girl." He placed a hand on Amaya's shoulder. She twisted her head awkwardly and bit him.

"You no touchy touchy," Amaya growled. The captain glared at her.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me," Zuko hissed. He and two of his soldier attacked, kicking balls of fire towards the cluster of pirates. They flew back in surprise, but they all landed on their feet. The gangly pirate in green raced forwards, flicking small grey balls towards the soldiers. They were enveloped in a shield of grey smoke.

Three soldiers ran forwards with spears, headed for Amaya and Sokka, who were trying to undo each other's bonds. They were saved when four pirates surrounded their precious booty. They all through the smoke bombs to the ground. The soldier paused in surprise, but were yanked into the cloud anyway.

Katara was straining at her ropes, angry that she was stuck tied to a tree and couldn't do anything to help her friends. Suddenly, she felt her ropes loosen. Katara broke free and turned to see Momo clinging to the tree slightly above her waist.

"Thanks Momo," she smiled at the lemur. "I owe you so many apples, you wouldn't believe."

Momo nodded happily and flew off as Katara raced for the cloud of smoke.

Amaya coughed hard. It was difficult to breath in all this dust. A whistling sound caught her attention, and she leaned back just in time for a sword to slice through the air above her, conveniently slicing the ropes around her chest.

"Somebody up there likes me," she mumbled as she crawled for the sword. She sawed at her bonds awkwardly, but soon the was free and on her feet.

Zuko was thrown from the dust cloud. Angrily, he glared at the hovering dust and tucked the scroll back into his belt. A whistling distracted him and he turned to see a sword slicing through the air towards his neck. Instinctively, he leaned back, and just in time. The sword sailed just past his nose.

He squared off against the pirate captain, who apparently knew how to handle a sword. It was easy to see by the skillfully completed withdrawal and the way he held the blade that he's had some formal training.

Zuko struck.

It was a surprisingly fair fight, for a sword versus fire. Zuko let the blade skate off his armored boots and bracers, while the captain was able to dodge the blasts with surprising agility for a man of his age. But soon, the two were in a lock, each grabbing the other's opposite wrist with their free hand.

Zuko felt a tug from his belt and turned his head to see the scroll sailing towards the man with the meteor hammer, wrapped protectively in the rope. But then Momo soared down, snatching the scroll.

"Hey!" the man called angrily. Momo flew away carelessly, but the reptile bird blindsided him in and attack from his lower right. Momo dropped the scroll reflexively as he scrambled to get away from the bird's bead and talons. The scroll dropped into the middle of the battle below.

Sokka flinched back as a sword slammed into the ground in front of him. Getting over his shock, he quickly cut the ropes and stood, calling out.

"Amaya!"

"Sokka!" she replied.

"Over here!" came Sokka's reply.

"I can't see you!"

"Amaya, where are you?"

"Sokka, follow my voice!"

"I can barely hear you!"

"Screw this," Amaya mumbled. She blasted the smoke away, only to find that she had crawled right in the middle of three separate fights. Six metal points gleamed around her. She quickly pulled the protective smoke layer back. "Never mind, I'll find you!"

Sokka crawled in a random direction, and was pleased to find that he was out of the choking dust within seconds.

"Run!" Amaya yelled, leaping over his back as she too burst from the cloud. The two raced away, heading towards the boats.

"Katara, you okay!" Amaya exclaimed as a small figure came into focus beside the pirate's boat, pushing a it desperately.

"Help me get this thing in the water!" Katara called.

"It's no use," Sokka said as they heaved. "It would take a miracle!"

"A miracle, or two Waterbenders."

Amaya and Katara smiled at each other and Sokka moved out of the way cautiously. The two girls began pulling the water steadily higher around the boat's bow, slowly sliding it out with the water.

"Everybody in!" Katara ordered as the boat rocked into the river. The trio splashed into the water, clambering very ungracefully up the ladder and onto the deck.

"Are you so busy fighting that you can't notice your own ship has set sail?" Iroh exclaimed as the shoved Zuko and the captain apart.

"There's no time for your useless proverbs!" Zuko protested.

"It's not a proverb!" Iroh replied, gesturing.

"Bleeding hogmonkeys!" the captain exclaimed after he had turned and seen the truth in Iroh's statement. Zuko laughed, pointing at the man as he ran after the ship. Then he caught sight of the pirate crew sailing away in a very familiar boat…

"My boat!" Zuko said angrily.

"Maybe it should be a proverb," Iroh mused.

"Come on uncle!"

"Coming!" Iroh called as he followed his nephew.

"Sokka, some speed would be appreciated!" Amaya called as she observed the pirates chasing after them in Zuko's boat. A small smiled curved her lips as she imagined the prince's reaction to this.

"I don't know how to pilot this thing!" Sokka said, overwhelmed. "It wasn't made by the Water Tribe!"

The pirates pulled up alongside them and leapt on boat easily. Two advanced towards Katara and Amaya. The two girls exchanged glances and nodded. They waved their arms at the same time, sending a large wave crashing over the boat's railing. One pirate was washed overboard, while the other slammed into the railing, He stood angrily, spitting water.

Katara frowned, and remembered the stances, moving through them quickly, shifting her weight.

"Hey, you did the water whip!" Amaya grinned as the pirates tipped overboard. "Go Katara!"

"I couldn't have done it without you!" Katara grinned.

"Will you to quit congratulating each other and help me here?"

Sokka was being held by one pirate as he held another, and looking quite disgruntled.

"Argh!" Sokka exclaimed as he was thrown into the sail.

"That's good," chuckled the pirate in green.

"No, but this is pretty awesome," Amaya corrected, flinging him through the railing and into the river with an expanding wall of air. The other she picked up and swirled around her overhead, before throwing him into the air and letting the momentum fling him into the river. Amaya jumped down to make sure Sokka was alright.

"Amaya!" Katara yelled. Amaya looked up to see a waterfall in front of them, and getting closer fast.

"Aw, come on!" she exclaimed. A small _schick_ caught her attention, and Amaya turned to see the green pirate holding a knife. Amaya smiled, pulled out her bison whistle, and blew it hard. Sokka burst around the corner and caught the pirate a swift punch to the side, throwing him off balance before kicking him over the side.

"Have you lost your mind?" Sokka demanded.

"Never had it!" she grinned, running to Katara's side.

"Amaya, come on, push and pull!" Katara called. In sync, the two pulled at the water, creating two whirlpools side by side, spinning in opposite directions. The boat hit them, and the opposite pulls kept one whirlpool from throwing the boat overboard.

"Oh yes," Amaya sighed happily. The deck trembled and tilted crazily as the Fire Nation boat slammed into the side.

"Jump!" Amaya screamed as the boat edged over the drop. The three linked hands and leapt, freefalling over the falls. Appa swooped in under them, catching them, and took off, leaving the other two boats to crash into the river at the bottom.

"Bison whistles," Amaya grinned. "Gotta love 'em."

"Thanks Appa," Katara smiled.

"We owe you one, big guy," Sokka chuckled.

* * *

><p>"My boat!" Zuko exclaimed, staring at the wreckage. Iroh pulled up beside him, panting and puffing. Suddenly her stopped and straightened, chuckling.<p>

"Prince Zuko," he laughed. "You're really going to get a kick out of this."

"What?" Zuko snapped, whirling.

"The lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!" Iroh chuckled, holding up the small, round game piece.

Zuko growled, snatching the tile from his uncle and throwing it into the river.

* * *

><p>"Amaya, I'm sorry," Katara sighed. "I just got jealous. You were so good at Waterbending without trying. I got competitive, and almost got us killed."<p>

"It's okay," Amaya assured her.

"Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyway?" Katara chuckled wryly.

"Is that really how you feel?" Sokka teased, bobbing his eyebrows and holding up the scroll.

"The scroll!" Katara exclaimed, reaching for it. Sokka held her back.

"First, what did you learn?"

"Stealing it wrong."

Sokka handed back the scroll.

"Unless it's from pirates!"

Sokka, Katara, and Amaya laughed.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, several things.<strong>

** First, I am so sorry about how long it's been since I updated, but real life beckoned, along with the horrors of Chem class and Geography projects.**

** Second, yes there was a bit of a time jump, but you should be able to figure out what happen by what was mentioned in here, and the little snippets of the skipped episodes. I skipped _Omashu_ because Bumi reminds me scarily of my uncle, and _Imprisoned_ because nothing much really happens there, except meeting Haru. I wouldn't dare to try and improve on the story with Haibi, so replace Aang with Amaya and there you go.**

** Last, chapters will be a little shorter from now on. It's hard for me to get that many words out of an episode or two without inserting random crap and stopping at weird points. I'm not cutting the chapter word count dramatically, they'll still be rather long, but I'm jumping from 8,000 to 6,000. **

**I think that's all, enjoy the update, and I'll try to post again to morrow to make up for my absence. I think _Jet _is next, so yay for that, and Amaya may pick up some new skills!**


	5. In Which Amaya is Apparently Married

"I *hic* hate *hic* HICCUPS!" Amaya screamed, slamming her fists into Appa's saddle.

"I don't think they like you very much either," Sokka observed. Amaya stuck her tongue out at him, hiccupping in reply.

"So *hic* there!" she said, smiling smugly. "Hey, where's Momo?"

Angry chattering greeted this statement, echoing through the trees.

"Momo!" Katara exclaimed. She, Amaya, and Sokka got to their feet, hurrying in the direction of Momo's chattering.

"What do you think got into him?" Sokka asked.

"Hopefully, nothing," Amaya frowned. "And he's just a spastic lemur."

That thought was shot down though when they emerged into a clearing, only to see Momo dangling from the treetops in a cage, a few other creatures restrained around him.

"What did you do?" Amaya asked Momo as she whirled up into the treetops, perching lightly on the branch and observing the trap. Smiling, she leaned back and turned the crank nailed to the trunk just below her, turning it and lowering Momo to the ground. Sokka pried apart the bars and Momo jumped free, shaking as he settled on Katara's shoulders.

Up in the foliage, Amaya was observing the other animals. She jumped from tree to tree, lowering the cages, and Sokka pried them open down on the ground. The two monkeys crawled free, quickly distancing themselves from the humans.

"Chock full of adorable," Amaya said fondly as she touched lightly to the ground, watching the monkeys scamper away.

"Yeah, but you know what's not adorable?" Sokka asked.

"You," was Amaya's instant reply. Sokka glared.

"I object," he said. But I meant these _Fire Nation_ traps."

"Yup, most of what I've seen from the Fire Nation is not *hic* adorable," Amaya snorted. "Darn it!"

"How do you know they're Fire Nation?" Katara asked, chuckling.

"The metalwork," Sokka replied. "We'd better lay low if there are Fire Nation soldiers nearby. Or better yet, we pack up camp and get moving."

* * *

><p>"No flying!" Sokka protested. "Not this time!"<p>

"No flying?" Katara repeated. "Why would we walk when we have Appa?"

"There will be no walking," Amaya frowned.

"Think about it logically guys," Sokka said, and was greeted with funny looks. "Okay, girls. Why do you think that Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us?"

"Superior equipment and a disturbing amount of determination?" Amaya chirped. Sokka shook his head.

"It's because of Appa!"

"Hey, don't blame Appa," Amaya said, rubbing the bison's head.

"He's kind of noticeable," Sokka explained.

"Appa's not noticeable!" Katara protested.

"He's a giant fluffy monster with an arrow on his head!" Sokka exclaimed. "He's a little bit hard to miss."

Appa groaned.

"You're just jealous of your lack of arrow… ness," Amaya finished lamely, patting Appa. "Don't worry Appa, you're not to noticeable, and you're not too big. You're a very nice flying-bison size."

Appa groaned again, this time contentedly.

"Look, my instincts tell me we should walk this time," Sokka said seriously.

"Who died and made you king?" Katara teased.

"I'm not the king," Sokka replied. "I'm the leader! And a leader has to trust his instincts."

"Since when are you a leader?" Katara snorted. "You're voice still cracks!"

"I'm the oldest, and I'm a warrior!" Sokka exclaimed, and his voice did indeed crack. He tried to deepen it and make it sound more mature. "So I'm the leader!"

"If anyone's the leader, its Amaya," Katara snickered. "She's that Avatar after all!"

"Plus, a hundred and sixteen here," Amaya noted, pointing a finger at her. "I think I win the age contest here, you young whippersnapper."

"Why do boys always think someone has to lead?" Katara exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "I bet you wouldn't be so bossy if you'd kissed a girl."

"I've kissed a girl!" Sokka protested weakly. "You just… haven't… met her."

"Gran Gran?" Katara teased. "I've met Gran Gran."

"Not Gran Gran!" Sokka protested. "Some other girl."

"Uh huh," Katara nodded skeptically.

"Look, my instincts say we should go it on foot, just for a little while," Sokka sighed. "Can you just trust me on this?"

"Okay, oh wise and powerful leader," Katara grinned. "We'll try this your way."

"Hey, who knows, walking may be fun!" Amaya said optimistically.

* * *

><p>"I hate walking!" Amaya sighed. "How do people get places without an Appa?"<p>

"You know who you should ask about that?" Katara suggested. "Sokka's instincts!"

Amaya grinned playing along. "This pack is so heavy. It's killing my shoulders."

"You know who you should ask to carry it for you?" Katara snickered. "Sokka's instincts!"

"Good idea!" Amaya chirped. "Hey Sokka's instincts, could you-?"

"Okay, okay!" Sokka exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "Enough! I get the point! But the important thing is we know one way we can't be tracked by the… Fire... Nation."

"Stupid instincts!" Amaya mumbled as they stared with wide eyes at the Fire Nation camp in front of them. The soldiers were staring back in equal surprise. They were well—trained though, and soon they were on their feet, rushing the three teens.

"Run!" Sokka yelled, shucking his pack.

"Trust me; I wasn't even thinking about standing still!" Amaya screamed back as they streaked away. Suddenly, the brush in front of them exploded into flame.

"We're cut off!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Katara, can you…?" Amaya suggested.

"Too much fire!" Katara shook her head.

"Hey, Sokka just thought you should know you're on fire."

"What? Ahhh!" Sokka screamed, turning in circles and patting at his shirt. Katara streamed some water over his shirt, putting out the flames and leaving a blackened burn in the water's wake.

"If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you!" Sokka called bravely.

"What are you doing?" Katara hissed.

"Bluffing," Sokka muttered back.

"You promise not to hurt us?" snorted a soldier. Suddenly he fell, an arrow protruding from his back.

"Sokka can do magic!" Amaya blurted foolishly.

"It wasn't me!" he said in surprise.

"Look!"

A teenage boy was swinging down from a tree to their left, a hook sword in each hand, arrows coming from behind him. He landed with his feet on two soldier's back, using his momentum to slam them into the ground. He jumped up, hooked two soldier's ankles, and rolled them over, turning with them.

"Down you go," he smirked arrogantly, a piece of straw clenched in his teeth. Another soldier rushed him, and the boy promptly hooked his belt and spun him in a wide arc around himself.

"They're in the trees!" cried another soldier.

"No, really?" Amaya mumbled sarcastically as the air-slammed a distracted soldier into a tent. A little boy leapt from a branch, gleefully landing on a Fire Nation soldier's shoulder and turning his helmet backwards, riding around as the man stumbled about. More arrows poured from the trees, skillfully string the soldier's swords and knocking them out of their hands. Up in the trees, a gangly boy could be seen hanging from his knees and firing.

Another hulking boy hit the ground, tossed a soldier over his shoulder, and then threw another one halfway across the camp. A young girl dressed as a boy was next to the forest floor, a knife clutched in her hand.

Amaya was grinding soldiers through the dirt while Katara water whipped them in the face, sending them staggering, clutching broken noses or throbbing cheeks. Sokka yelled, taking a stance in preparation to hit an advancing soldier. Suddenly, the first boy swung out of nowhere, nailing the soldier in the side with both of his feet and sending him sprawling.

"Hey!" Sokka protested. "He was mine!"

"Gotta be quit," the boy smirked.

Behind him, the huge boy slammed the ends of two soldier's swords with a thick tree branch, bending them into accordions. The soldier stepped back in shock, before throwing down their mangled weapons and running from the boy's prodigious strength.

"Holy hogmonkeys," Amaya mumbled. She turned as the clang of metal caught her ears. The first boy was leaning back; the hooks of his swords looked around the spear shaft of a soldier who had come at him. Suddenly the boy leaned to the side, twisted his swords to the side and yanking the soldier forwards, his spear leaving his hands as he reached out instinctively to steady himself. The boy brought the blunt end of the weapon around, nailing the soldier in the back of the head.

"Man!" Sokka groaned. He had had his cudgel raised in preparation to attack the soldier before the boy took his opponent out. Again.

Another soldier came at the boy with a spear, and this side he let the point side through the handle and the hand guard. The guard ran his spear all the way through the gap, moving his hands out of the way as they passed each other. They took the other's positions for a moment, and the soldier charged. The boy knocked the spear point towards the ground, stepping on the shaft and breaking it, running lightly up the broken spear and kicking off the man's face, staggering as he landed. He came to a stop barely a foot from a wide-eyed and near-swooning Katara.

"Hey," he said arrogantly.

"Hi," Katara blushed.

"Kid, whoever you are, you seriously have my respect," Amaya said, leaping over. "You just took out a whole troop pretty much by yourself."

"Troop?" Sokka scoffed. "There were only like twenty guys!"

"My name's Jet," the boy said, ignoring Sokka's comment. "These are my Freedom Fighters. Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, the Duke, and Pipsqueak."

Amaya grinned at the tiny kid. "Pipsqueak. That's funny."

"You think my name's funny?" boomed the huge kid next to him. Amaya's eyes widened and the backpedaled furiously, remembering the crumpled swords.

"Er, no, not at-"

She was cut off as the boy let out a deep, gravelly laugh.

"Oh thank Kyoshi," Amaya mumbled to herself, relaxing. Pipsqueak clapped her on the shoulder, sending her staggering through a tent flap and sprawling onto a bed roll.

"Agni, he's strong," Amaya mumbled, hauling herself up and back outside. She had visited many of the nations back before she was frozen, and had picked up many phrases, though she had been careful to keep the Fire Nation ones to a minimum around Sokka, who she knew wouldn't appreciate them.

* * *

><p>Katara, Amaya, and Sokka stood awkwardly as the other teens roamed around the camp, cataloguing the supplies they had one. Smellerbee was trying to look tough, hauling around one of the larger crates. Longshot sat by the fire, smoothing the ridges in the wood of his bow. Katara moved away to talk to Jet, while Sokka glared at Smellerbee's retreating back, leaving Amaya standing awkwardly.<p>

Shrugging to herself, she went to talk to Longshot, who seemed the least unnerving to her. The Duke was disturbingly innocent, but she had seen him fight. Pipsqueak was shockingly huge, and Sneers looked perpetually mad. There was something a little off about Jet, and Smellerbee seemed a bit too confrontational for Amaya's taste. That left Longshot.

"Hey," she greeted, sitting down on the log beside him. He nodded. "That was some pretty nice shooting you did back there." He tipped his head, acknowledging the compliment. "Are you mute?" Amaya asked bluntly. Longshot looked up at her and the corners of his lips twitched amusedly. He shook his head. "Then why don't you talk?" He shrugged. "Just don't want to, or…?"

He cut her off with a look. "Alright, alright, I get the message, no asking about your lack of words. So, where'd you learn to shoot like that?" He gestured around him. "Just around?" Amaya clarified. He nodded. "Do you think you could teach me to shoot like that? I like learning new ways to defend myself." He stared pointedly at her Airbender clothing. "Yeah, yeah, Airbenders are supposed to be all peaceful and loving. I'm a freak, so shoot me." Longshot jokingly lifted his bow, drawing back even though there wasn't an arrow nocked. Amaya laughed.

"Seriously though, could you teach me?" she asked. Longshot examined her hands for a moment, and then nodded slowly. "Really? Thanks!"

"Hey Jet!" Amaya looked up to see the Duke bent over a barrel, some viscous yellow sludge on his fingers. "These barrels are filled with blasting jelly!"

"Great score!" Jet smiled, pulling the straw from his lips.

"And these boxes are filled with jelly candy!" Pipsqueak said happily, lifting a crate almost as large as he was like it was nothing.

"Also good," Jet nodded approvingly while Amaya chuckled. "Let's not get those two mixed up."

Pipsqueak and the Duke loaded the supplies onto a cart.

"We'll get this back to the hideout," the Duke chirped.

"You have a hideout?" Sokka said.

"You wanna see?" Jet smirked.

"Yes!" Katara replied instantly. "We want to see it!"

So they all moved off in one big procession, following Jet and his Freedom Fighters trough the forest until they stopped suddenly.

"We're here," Jet smiled. Amaya looked around. This patch of forest didn't look any different from the others they had passed.

"There's nothing here!" Sokka exclaimed, looking around.

"Hold this," Jet said, handing him a loop of rope. Sokka took the rope, and was promptly hauled into the tree tops.

"Amaya," Jet said, holding out a hand invitingly to her, giving her a flirty smile.

"Stop flirting," Amaya deadpanned. "It's creepy." For as long as she'd been alive, she had had very little experience. She had been mostly kept away from the opposite gender. Until she found out she was the Avatar, she had thought it was just the monks being all… monk-y. After she learned the big secret though, she realized they were trying to avoid her forming any romantic ties to anyone s that she would be focused on learning the elements.

Of course, the monks had been pleased to see that she mostly kept herself away from boys anyway. Once they hit a certain age, all of them seemed sure that they were a gift to women everywhere. This belief had led many of them straight to the infirmary after getting a little to flirty with her.

Jet looked mildly surprised by her response, but she saw Smellerbee, the Duke, and Longshot trying to keep from laughing. With a jaunty salute to Jet, Amaya spun, leaping from branch to branch, a distance of a good ten feet every time.

When she reached a wooden platform on top, she turned and looked down, watching Katara ride up nestled against Jet's side. She was blushing, and looked positively love-struck as she stared up at Jet. Amaya shrugged. He was handsome, she guessed, but wanted a bit more than that in guy. A brain, for example. Jet clearly had that though, with the skillful way he had pulled off the ambush. Perhaps it was his cleverness that put her off. It seemed to have a somewhat dangerous tinge to it. Or was she just crazy?

Amaya shook her head, stepped back from the edge as Jet and Katara alighted. She noticed Katara's knees were shaking a little as she unfolded herself from Jet's side. Maya looked around, surprised at the intricate labyrinth of stairs around tree trunks, bridges, and zip lines.

"This looks pretty fun," Amaya said, examining a zip line.

"It's beautiful up here," Katara said, staring at the red leaves below them, like puffy red clouds.

"It's beautiful, and more importantly, it's hidden," Jet chuckled.

"The Fire Nation would love to find you, wouldn't they Jet?" Smellerbee said, jumping up beside them.

"Not gonna happen, Smellerbee," Jet assured her arrogantly.

"Why does the Fire Nation want to find you?" Katara asked as she, Smellerbee, Jet, and Amaya walked along a bridge.

"I've been causing them a lot of problems," Jet smirked. "See, they took over a nearby Earth Kingdom village a few years ago."

"We ambush their troops, cut off their supplies, and do anything we can to mess with them," Pipsqueak grunted.

"Nice," Amaya grinned, raising an appreciative eyebrow.

"One day, we'll get the Fire Nation out of here for good," Jet said confidently. "We'll free that town."

"That's such a brave thing to do," Katara swooned.

"Nothing braver than a guy in a tree house," Sokka rolled his eyes. Amaya held up a hand and Sokka gave her a high-five.

"Don't pay attention to my brother," Katara said, giving Sokka a warning look.

"No problem," Jet brushed it off. "He probably had a rough day." Sokka frowned.

"So, you live up here?" Katara asked.

"Yeah," Jet nodded. "Longshot's village got burned down by the Fire Nation, and the Duke we caught trying to steal our food. I don't think he's ever really had a home."

"What about you?" Katara asked hesitantly. Jet paused as the others continued on.

"The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was eight," Jet said, his voice hard. Amaya frowned as she walked away with Sokka.

* * *

><p>"Today we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine!" Jet announced at dinner that night.<p>

"Is that what we're eating?" Amaya mumbled, staring at the roast boar on the table in front of her. Sokka snorted quietly.

"I especially enjoyed the look on one soldier's face when the Duke dropped down on him and rode him like a hogmonkey."

Amaya clapped, remembering that little scene as the Duke jumped onto the table and strutted in a proud circle.

"The Fire nation thinks they don't have to worry about a couple of kids hiding in the trees. Maybe they're right," Jet said slyly, taking a drink.

"Boo!"

"Or maybe… They're dead wrong!"

Amaya frowned. She didn't like the dark tone Jet's voice took on. The speech was greeted with cheers however.

"Hey Jet, nice speech," Katara said shyly as he sat beside her.

"Thanks," Jet smiled charmingly. "By the way, I was really impressed with you and Amaya. That was some pretty good bending I saw."

"Well, Amaya's great," Katara blushed. "She's the Avatar. I could use some more work."

"Avatar, huh?" Jet asked casually. Amaya nodded. "Nice. I may have a way two powerful benders like yourselves could help with our cause."

"Unfortunately!" Sokka broke in suddenly, standing up and walking away. "We have to leave tomorrow."

"Sokka, you're kidding," Jet whined, and Amaya noticed how skillfully he added that little note of pleading to hi voice. "I wanted your help on an important mission." Sokka paused. Amaya winced.

So Jet had found Sokka's weak spot. He wanted to be recognized for his skill, for his contributions. Sokka wanted to be important.

"What mission?" Sokka asked slowly. Jet smiled.

"Oh dear," Amaya mumbled into her Fire Nation swine.

* * *

><p>"Isn't Jet amazing?" Katara sighed dreamily as the two girls prepared for bed.<p>

"Yeah," Amaya replied slowly. "Amazing."

"Amaya, what's wrong?" Katara asked, picking up on her tone. "Don't you like him?"

"I guess so," Amaya shrugged. "Just… something about him seems sort of… off, if you get what I mean. I'm not saying he's going to try and kill us or anything, but he's definitely hiding something."

"What would he have to hide?" Katara snorted.

"I don't know. I just know he's hiding something."

"Are you sure you aren't just getting paranoid?"

Amaya narrowed her eyes. "No, I'm not. I'm fine."

"Okay," Katara teased, rolling over into her sleeping bag and blowing out the lantern lighting the room. "Whatever you say."

"Night Kat."

"Night Maya."

Amaya's eyes slowly closed, and she felt herself slip into sleep.

_She was running through a forest. It was on fire. The flames licked at her feet and deergoats darted past her as they rushed to escape the flames._

"_Amaya!"_

_The voice cut over the roar of the flames, and Amaya instantly turned towards it, praying for salvation. She was panting, hot, sweaty, and blood poured from numerous cuts and scratches on her arms and legs. _

_She staggered as the hem of her skirt caught on a branch. Frantically, Amaya turned and tugged it free, sprinting in the direction of the voice._

"_Amaya, over here!"_

_It was a boy, that was sure. Her eyes flicked about desperately, looking for the boy. Suddenly, the fire to her left exploded out and a figure stepped free, nothing more than a silhouette. The silhouette grabbed her and picked her up bodily, running away from the fire much faster than she could have._

"_Hold on," the boy whispered. Amaya nodded vaguely as her eyes closed wearily. She was placed on a soft surface, and now the air was considerably let hot and dry. A soft pressure appeared on her lips, light as a butterfly. Her eyes opened blearily and she saw a face hovering above her. Her vision came into focus and she saw Zuko._

_Instantly, she was sliding away from him, across the bed she was laying on._

"_Amaya," Zuko said with a hurt expression._

"_How did you catch me?" she demanded. "Where am I?"_

"_Catch you?" the prince asked in confusion. "Amaya, what's wrong? You're in the Fire palace of course, in our room."_

"_Fire Palace?" Amaya shrieked, looking around. She couldn't see any soldiers guarding her. Ozai was not lurking in a corner, ready to finish her off. Suddenly, something else clicked. "Our room?"_

"_Yes," Zuko said slowly, examining her. "Aya, are you feeling alright? You're starting to worry me."_

"_Why are you calling me Aya?" she demanded. "Where did you hear that name? Only Bumi and Gyatso can call me that!"_

"_Amaya, I've been calling you Aya for years. Since we started courting."_

"_Courting?" Amaya choked._

"_Can't you remember?" Zuko asked. "Amaya, can you remember anything?"_

"_I remember getting away from you and pirates, and then I met Jet, and then… Where are Katara and Sokka?"_

"_With the Water Tribe," Zuko frowned. "Amaya, that happened nearly ten years ago! That's it, I'm calling the doctor."_

"_No!" Amaya shrieked. "No, wait! That can't have been ten year ago! It was just… a few… days. Zuko? I'm scared."_

"_I am too," Zuko said, frowning. Amaya was too numb to stop him as he sat beside her and held her close._

"_Mommy?"_

_Amaya's head shot up to stare at a little girl in the doorway. She was rubbing her eyes wearily. "Mommy, I couldn't sleep."_

"_Who does she mean?" Amaya asked Zuko. "Where's her mother?"_

_Zuko physically flinched, drawing back._

"_You don't recognize her?" he asked, a pained expression on his face._

"_No, should I?"_

"_That's Tien. That's our daughter."_

_Amaya yanked away, watching him cautiously. "Our daughter?" she asked weakly, eyes searching his face. Zuko held up her left hand, displaying a ruby surrounded by clear diamonds on a golden band._

Amaya shot straight up, staring around herself frantically. She jerked the covers off herself and stared at her clothes. Not burned. Good. She examined her left hand. No ring.

She sighed, slumping back onto her bed.

"What in that name of Agni is happening to me?" she asked herself. "I mean, I don't like the guy in any sense of the word. I mean, he's fun to fight with, I guess, but…"

Amaya didn't finish. She had already fallen back to sleep.

* * *

><p>Jet let out a bird call, and all along the road figures seemingly slipped from inside tree trunks, crouching along the thick branches.<p>

"What are you doing?" Jet demanded as Sokka stuck his knife into the trunk.

"Shh!" Sokka replied sharply. "It amplifies vibrations. Jet nodded appreciatively.

"Neat trick," he praised.

"Nothing yet," Sokka said, listening to the knife's vibrations. "Wait… yeah, someone's coming!"

"How many?"

"Just one, maybe two.

Jet's head jerked around to stare at the road, letting out another bird call signal.

Sure enough, a stooped, wizened old man soon appeared, making his way slowly down the road.

"Wait!" Sokka exclaimed quietly. "False alarm! It's just an old man!"

Jet ignored him, hitting the ground in a crouch before the old man.

"What are you doing in our woods, you leech," Jet demanded coldly, his voice tinged with disgust.

The old man stepped back in surprise. "Please sir, I'm just a traveler."

Jet grunted, knocking the old man's cane out from under him and sending it spiraling into the woods. The man turned to run, only to slam into Pipsqueak's substantial bulk. The old man hit the ground, staring up at the hulking figure in fear. He made to crawl away, but Pipsqueak sent him to the ground with a shoe on his back.

"Do you like destroying towns?" Jet demanded. "Do you like destroying families? Do you?"

"No, please," the old man begged, clutching his head. "Let me go! Have mercy!"

"Does the _Fire Nation_ let people go?" Jet spat. "Does the _Fire Nation_ have mercy?"

Sokka jumped down as Jet pulled back his foot to kick the sprawled, pitiful old man. He easily hooked Jet's foot with his cudgel, keeping his from striking.

"Jet, he's just an old man!" Sokka protested.

"He's Fire Nation!" Jet accused. "Search him!"

Pipsqueak and Smellerbee pulled the man to his feet to do as Jet asked, while Sokka continued.

"But he's not hurting anyone!"

"Have you forgotten that the Fire nation killed your mother?" Jet demanded. "Remember why you fight!"

"We got his stuff, Jet!" Smellerbee chirped, holding up a small pouch of coins.

"This doesn't feel right!" Sokka protested.

"It's what has to be done, now let's get out of here," Jet said coldly, shoving Sokka aside. Pipsqueak and Smellerbee followed without question. Sokka took one last look at the man's crumpled face.

"Come on Sokka!"

Sokka followed Jet.

* * *

><p>"Sorry Longshot," Amaya apologized. "I know I asked you to teach me to shoot, but… Have you ever had so much on your mind you think your head will explode if try to cram anything else in there?"<p>

Longshot gave her a strange look, but nodded.

"Okay. I just don't really have the focus or brain space to try and learn anything right now," Amaya shook her head. "Thanks anyway though."

Longshot shrugged.

"Yeah, I know," she chuckled. "Anyway, I'll see you at dinner, if we haven't left by then."

Longshot raised a hand in farewell, and Amaya replied, turning and heading towards her and Katara's shared tree house.

"Katara?" Amaya said nervously. "I kind of need someone to talk to right now."

"What's up?" Katara asked, putting aside the tunic she was fixing.

"Well," Amaya sighed, sitting cross-legged across from the Waterbender. "There's the usual, the whole Avatar, master of all the elements, of course. Then there's Jet, who I'm still getting a hinky vibe off of. But mostly…" Amaya paused.

"Mostly what?" Katara pressed.

"I've been having these dreams," Amaya burst out. Katara winced.

"Well, when you get to a certain age…"

"Oh _Agni_ no!" Amaya cut her off, shaking her head frantically. "Please, do _not_ attempt to give me 'The Talk!' That was awkward enough the first time with Gyatso."

"Oh good," Katara breathed, relieved. "I really didn't want to explain. So these dreams. Do you thing they're related to you being the Avatar, the Bridge between worlds and all that? Could they be prophetic?"

"I hope not!" Amaya said quickly, eyes widening. She hadn't thought about that. But… no, they couldn't be. One she saw herself in the Fire Palace as a prisoner, and then last night as Fire Lady. "No, they can't be, because some of them are completely conflicting."

"So, what have they been about?" Katara asked. Amaya inhaled, bracing herself.

"Zuko," she deadpanned. "Predominantly."

Katara stare at Amaya. "What? Are you serious?"

"I wish I wasn't," Amaya said, curling her knees into her chest and putting her chin on them. She proceeded to explain all the dreams to Katara, leaving out nothing, not even the fact that she dreamed that Zuko woke her up with a kiss.

Katara pondered on all this for a while. "Well, you mentioned that you once told him he was dragging you into his dreams. Maybe you were right."

"But how is that possible?" Amaya said in exasperation, flopping back onto her bed.

"You're the Avatar, it's like being a magnet for weird mystical stuff," Katara shrugged. "Maybe that dream is al Zuko's doing. Maybe he's thinking about what life might be like when he brings you back to his father, and you happened to star as Fire Lady. It's not surprising you're on his mind, not with how obsessed he is with catching you."

"I suppose that could be is," Amaya frowned. "It doesn't sound right."

"Well, what sounds wrong about it?"

"I don't know! Just some stupid Avatar sense I've got. This would be so much easier if I were normal."

"If you were normal, you'd be dead," Katara pointed out.

"Still."

"Don't think like that! It's not like anyone can control what they dream about. I'm sure it's just random worries you have all mashed up together into one disturbing dream."

"I guess," Amaya shrugged. "Hey, thanks for listening."

"What are friends for?"

"Sewing up tunics," Amaya chuckled. Katara laughed as well, standing up and leaving the platform. Amaya looked around, before spotting a slightly chipped bottle of ink and a battered quill on the table in their room. Picking them up, Amaya pulled out her journal of Gyatso-isms. It was a thick volume, barely even half of it was filled.

With shaking hands, Amaya proceeded to leave a few pages black, and then began writing down every single dream she had had since she woke up from the iceberg. She left a few pages blank for future dreams, and then wrote _What They Have In Common_on top of a page. At the top of the list was Zuko, but then she went deeper. Heat. Her room, apparently. In the one last night, hadn't Zuko said they were in their room? And then in the Air Temple, they were in her room. And both times, they were on her bed. Wincing, Amaya wrote down bed. She didn't really want to think about the dangerous connotations of that one.

* * *

><p>"Why Jet?" Katara pleaded, staring at Jet, pinned to a tree by her ice. "I can't believe I trusted you!"<p>

"You are one sick, messed-up kid," Amaya said, shaking her head in disgust. "Killing an entire village just to get rid of a few of the people? I'd like to take this time to say I told you so, Katara."

"I want to know why you did it!" Katara yelled at Jet. "Answer me!"

Suddenly, a distinctive whistle echoed through the valley. Jet's lips curved into a cocky smile and her responded.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked fearfully.

"You're too late," Jet smirked.

"No!" Katara and Amaya yelled, running for the edge of the cliff and staring out at the dam. Amaya attempted to fly on her glider, forgetting about the torn fabric. She promptly face planted.

"Sokka's still out there," she murmured. "He's our only shot."

"Please, Sokka," Katara begged her brother. "Please come through for us. I'm so sorry I doubted you."

The two girls watched in horror as a flaming arrow arced out over the river.

"Longshot," Amaya mumbled. "Jerk."

"No," Katara whispered as the dam exploded. A huge wall of water swept along the dry riverbed, throwing droplets and soil everywhere, ripping up grass and small trees.

Katara and Amaya stared in horror as the buildings crumpled, roves caving in and walls collapsing. Furniture and bits of buildings could be seen floating along with an eerie peacefulness.

"All those people," Katara murmured.

"Sokka didn't make it," Amaya said slowly. "They were innocent, and they died. Just like… that."

"Jet you monster!" Katara yelled, whirling on the teen.

"This was a victory!" Jet spat. "Remember that! The Fire Nation is gone, and this valley will be safe!"

"It _will_ be safe! Without you!"

"There's Sokka," Amaya said with relief as the boy appeared over the edge of the cliff on Appa, glaring angrily at Jet.

"I warned the villagers," Sokka explained to Amaya and his sister. "They got out in time."

"What?" Jet demanded, eyes wide.

"They didn't believe me at first," Sokka shrugged. "They thought I was a spy. But then the man you attacked vouched for me. He convinced them to trust me, and we got everyone out."

"Sokka, you fool!" Jet howled. "We could have freed this valley!"

"Who would be free?" Sokka spat.

"They'd all be dead," Amaya frowned at Jet, disgust evident in her voice. "Thanks to you, you sick, twisted, psycho!"

"You're all traitors," Jet accused.

"No, Jet," Katara said softly, shaking her head. "You became the traitor. When you stopped defending people."

"Katara, help me," Jet begged.

"Goodbye Jet," Katara murmured, climbing onto Appa.

"Are you going to be okay?" Amaya asked. Katara nodded, but her eyes were watery. "Hey, come on. We can't help who we like. Sometimes it's heart over mind. I mean, it could be worse. You could have a head filled with Zuko."

Sokka made a disgusted sound, but didn't get the deeper meaning to Amaya's words like Katara did.

"If I start dreaming about him, you'll be the first to know," Katara chuckled.

"Right," Amaya deadpanned. "Because we all know how much I'm in love with Zuko. I can barely stand to be apart from him. My heart. 'Tis breaking."

"Eh, you know he'll pop up sooner or later," Sokka shrugged.

"That guy is a seriously skilled stalker," Amaya shook her head.

* * *

><p><em>So, not two chapters in one day like I meant to, but hey, here's the chapter for <span>Jet<span>. I'm going to skip The Great Divide, because it's pretty much useless, but then onto Storm, and that's where things really get trippy for Amaya, what with Avatar states and learning about Zuko's background, and some good old fashioned teenage **ANGST**. Because there's angst, and then there's ANGST. If you want an example of ANGST, go read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. That kid had mad ANGST skills. Like Zuko! Hehe, two scarred kids filled with angst, yay for coincidence._


	6. In Which Amaya Beats the Clock

**Okay, I just looked back and realized I completely forgot the part about the temple with Avatar Roku. I'm not going to go back and fix it, because that would be spreading apart an entire chapter, so I'm just going to switch around the timeline a little and say it happens before The Storm. It's not my best, but I wanted to go ahead and get it up because I've been out of commission on this story so long. So, here ya go!**

* * *

><p>It had been such a huge mess. A spirit attacking a village, and everyone expected her to know what to do about when she had no idea. She was the Bridge to the Spirit World, and she had no idea how to bridge squat. Then Sokka was gone, and Amaya was angry at her, and she still hadn't figured out what was going on… Finally, she had managed to cross over into the Spirit World, and it hadn't really been her idea of a vacation.<p>

Amaya had decided that being the Avatar was highly overrated. The Spirit World was just completely insane. There were so many creatures she'd never seen before, and things were talking that really shouldn't be talking. Of course, a past life popping up and telling her she had to haul her rear end to the Fire Nation and go to a temple, probably getting captured in the meantime, didn't help either.

But still, if she thought about it, she was telling herself to go to this temple. And Roku… he had sounded so serious. A flaming comet flickered across her mind for a moment and she knew that she had to go, no matter what Katara and Sokka said, and that she had to go now. She had to be there before the sun set on the day of the summer solstice. That meant she had from dawn to dusk to get to the fire Nation temple.

And Appa really didn't appreciate their tight schedule.

"Appa, come on!" Amaya grunted, trying to force him up into the air. "Katara and Sokka are going to stay here, we aren't waiting for them." He groaned. "Just get your fluffy rear in gear and let's hit the air!"

"I think his fluffy rear is trying to tell you something Amaya."

She turned guiltily to face Sokka, Katara, and all the grateful villagers. It really hadn't been that hard to save their village once she knew what to do, yet they had loaded her down with praise and thanks. The people who had been returned seemed particularly thankful, bringing her and her friends food and drinks. Sokka had been thrilled, Amaya not so much. This was what she didn't, and it didn't require thanks.

"I have to find out what my vision means, and I have to be there before sunset," Amaya said helplessly. "I don't have a choice."

"Please Amaya, we can't afford to lose you ," Katara said softly. "Don't go."

"I don't have a choice," she sighed, hopping onto Appa's head and picking up the reins. She flicked them determinedly, but Sokka and Katara ran in front Appa, stopping him from taking off.

"We're not letting you go to the Fire Nation!" Katara said sharply.

"Not without your friends anyway," Sokka said with a grin. "When are you going to figure out that we're in this together?"

Amaya smiled and Appa liked him.

"Ew!" Sokka yelled, rubbing at his face frantically as he and Katara both clambered into the saddle.

"Thanks guys," Amaya muttered. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Get yourself captured," Sokka said confidently.

"It's a long journey to the Crescent island," the village head man said, coming forwards with a parcel, presumably of food, with a map rolled up and tied to the top. "You must hurry."

"Thanks for all you've-"

"Go!"

"Going, going!" Amaya said hastily, taking the package. "Appa, yip yip!"

Appa took to the air and Amaya sat on his head, tense as they went out over the sea. Was this the right choice? It was the one most likely to get them caught and Sokka and Katara killed. Maybe she shouldn't have let them come. No, they wouldn't have let her go without them, there was no way she could have left them behind, and she was glad for the company, for friends she could count on.

Her muscles were all locked up, and she knew her nerves were affecting Appa and Momo as well. She had to relax. Arriving in the Fire Nation twitchy and nervous would only lead to mistakes, and mistakes would lead to capture. What they were doing was dangerous, and could very well be the last thing they did together.

So Amaya systematically began loosening up her muscles, starting with her shoulder sand slowly working her way down to her back, breathing evenly as the monk's had showed her. She entered a meditative sort of state as she loosened up her arms and legs. Beneath her, she felt Appa calm down as well and Momo's frenetic chittering and rustling calmed as well as he coiled calmly in Katara's lap. Sighing, Amaya opened her eyes and was surprised to see how far they had come. The land was gone, but they still had a ways to go.

"Appa, come on, hurry up," she murmured under her breath, flicking the reins as she began to tighten up again.

"Why aren't air bison more aerodynamic?" Sokka wondered from the saddle. "I mean, if they're going to fly, shouldn't they be a bit faster?"

"Anything worth doing is worth doing well, so do it slowly," Amaya quoted. "Air Nomads rarely leave their temples, and when they do, they're rarely rushed. Air bison are mostly used for trade or travel around the mountains, so they don't need to be very fast. We use gliders. They were really more like pets," Amaya explained.

They soared over the blue ocean, the waves moving beneath them. They were all on the lookout for landmarks showing if they were going the right way or not, as well as on guard for anything signifying they had reached the Fire Nation. Once they were there, they had to be on full alert. Anyone and anything could be an enemy.

For a moment, Amaya wondered if this was all a trap, some carefully-orchestrated plan made up by the fire Lord, and immediately pushed the thought aside. There was no way he had managed to invade th spirit world as well. It existed independently of the physical World, and she was the only one with access. Had she really gotten that paranoid?

"Amaya, we've got trouble!" Katara called suddenly, and Amaya groaned. Of course they did.

"Yeah, and its gaining fast!" Sokka added.

She turned around and looked down t the ocean to see a horribly familiar fire nation ship below them. Zuko. He had the worst timing. Did he have to pop up now of all times?

She saw the catapult rise up onto the deck and the ball of pitch was lit with a burst of flame.

"Fire!" she heard faintly. The fireball went airborne, coming directly for Appa.

"Fireball!" Katara called warningly.

"On it!" Amaya called. "Appa, evade!"

The air bison moved to the side, the fireball going past them without much clearance. A horrible stench trailing from it as they flew through the thick, grey smoke.

"We have to get out of range before Zuko fires another hot stinker!" Katara called.

"I would, but we have another problem," Amaya called as her eyes picked out a line of ships.

"What now?" Sokka demanded.

"A blockade," she said grimly.

In front of them, two lines of ships were patrolling, little space between them. There was no way they could get past without being seen. Of course, there was also no way Zuko could get past without being slowed or stopped. They had to make the blockade, and if they got past it, they should be okay for a while at least.

Then again, they could turn to the north. It would take a while, but once they hit land, they could go around the ships and sneak in. That would also give the Fire Nation to prepare if they were spotted though.

"Going north is safer!" Amaya called back. "We can't get through without being spotted,a nd that way we can go around."

"We can't do that," Katara said. "We don't have that kind of time."

"I know," Amaya admitted. "But it's less dangerous, and I won't put you two in danger."

"And that's exactly why we're here," Katara said. "Because you _will _put you in danger."

"Let's run this blockade!" Sokka said with entirely too much enthusiasm as he pumped his fist in the air.

Amaya smiled a bit. "Okay," she agreed. "Let's go, Appa! Yip yip!"

She flicked the reins and Appa sped up, headed straight for the blockade, and Amaya realized just how crazy this was as she saw the rows upon rows of catapults light up.

"Oh crap," she mumbled just as the call to fire came and the sky was filled with fireballs. The smell was bad enough, distracting her as she worked feverishly to keep Appa away from the fireballs. The Fire nation, firing on a helpless animal… She felt a brief well of power, but quickly squashed it. She could afford to break into the Avatar State. There was no telling what she'd do, and she didn't want to hurt Appa, Katara, Sokka, or Mom while she was… out of commission.

She screamed as two fireballs collided in front of them and exploded, bits and pieces going everywhere. She raised a hand and covered her face, feeling the sharp sting of cinders biting through the thin fabric. Appa groaned and pitched underneath her. Nervously, she looked back and saw Momo, Katara, and Sokka frantically putting out a few smoldering patches of Appa's fur.

They couldn't take another hit, Amaya knew. A direct hit would probably kill Appa, and with nothing beneath them they would plummet into the ocean. She couldn't support Katara and Sokka both on her glider. At best, Momo would make it out. These wounds taxed Appa, it was easy to see as he pitched and roared. Anymore and they'd be skimming the waves.

"Up, Appa!" she cried, flicking the reins. The bison rose, slicing through the clouds and coming out over the clouds. With no way to see them, they should be harder to hit.

Or, in theory. Fireballs appeared in front of them, and Amaya immediately realized her mistake. With the clouds concealing the water, she couldn't see the fireballs until they were just a few feet away, and she barely had time to react and steer Appa around.

Two fireballs collided in front of them, shrapnel spraying. They took a few hits, and Appa plunged sharply before righting himself.

"Argh!"

"Sokka!"

Amaya jerked about to see Sokka flying over the edge of saddle, too far away for Katara's reaching hands to grab.

"Sokka!" she yelled, hurriedly bringing Appa about and heading for Sokka as he fell through the clouds. She dove and came up under Sokka, Katara pulling him safely back into the saddle and hugging her brother tightly.

Just as she had predicted, they were skimming the waves in an attempt to avoid the fireballs. They were coming up on the blockade fast, but they still had a decent piece of ground to cover. The last volley seemed to be held off until they were in the perfect position. Katara, Amaya, and Sokka were all yelling as they sped towards the ship.

"Fire!"

They were close enough to clearly hear the order. One fireball came directly towards them. Amaya didn't think, she just reacted. She jumped off of Appa's saddle, rotating as she leaped out over the ocean and finished with a sharp kick, air jetting from her foot. The air slicing through the flaming ball and it blew up, leaving them with nothing in their path.

"Gah, poor planning, poor planning!" Amaya bleated as she realized she was just hanging in the air. However, momentum and wind carried her back onto Appa, where Katara and Sokka were ready and waiting and held her in place as they shot over the blockade. It was relieved sighs all around as the fireballs stopped and they passed the ships.

"Oh yeah!" Amaya grinned, celebrating. "We made it."

"We got into the Fire Nation," Sokka said weakly. "Go us."

It took a while for the adrenaline to stop pumping, but once it did, the tenseness began again as they realized the sun was going down and they still weren't to the island yet. Amaya flopped sadly onto Appa's head, staring ahead wearily. After getting up before the crack of dawn and all the excitement, she was ready for a nap. Sokka and Katara were scanning the water from Appa's saddle, looking for the island. It was Amaya who spotted it.

"There!" she said sharply, sitting up and pointing. It was an island shaped like a crescent moon with a volcano on the curve. "That's where Roku's dragon took me!" As Appa went down, she paused and considered. "Wow, that's a strange sentence."

"You're a strange girl," Sokka pointed out.

"You are so sweet," Amaya said drily as they landed. She hopped off and rubbed appa's head affectionately. "Who's a good little dodger? Appa is! You were great buddy!"

Appa groaned and rolled onto his side, legs lolling. Katara chuckled a bit.

"Oh, poor Appa," she said, rubbing his belly. "You must be so tired."

"Nope, I'm refreshed and ready to fight some Firebenders!" Sokka responded. Amaya snorted.

"I was talking to Appa," Katara said irritably.

"Well… I was talking to Momo!" Sokka retorted.

"And I'm talking to both of you," Amaya grinned. "Come on, we've still got a hike to get to the temple."

It was a long walk over rough terrain. The ground beneath them was rocky, slick with ash and volcanic glass. It was hot too, heat rising from the rocks and making their clothes stick to them with sweat. Sokka and Katara had it the worse, their thick Water Tribe clothes only holding in the heat. Amaya's thin Air Nomad clothes wee breezy and much more suited for such.

They crouched behind a low wall, examining the temple.

"I don't see guards," Sokka said.

"Maybe they abandoned it after Avatar Roku died," Katara suggested.

"No," Amaya said, shaking her head. "It's a temple, there aren't guards. The monks are the defense."

"Monks?" Sokka said, sniggering. "Oh, that's scary."

"Don't underestimate them," Amaya cautioned. "I saw some of the monks at the Southern Air Temple take down people a quarter their age in under a minute. And all of the monks here will be Firebenders, on a volcano no less. Come on, I can explain more inside. It's almost sundown, we've got to go."

They leapt over the wall and raced through the ornate door decorated like a tongue of flame into the antechamber.

"Wait, I think I heard something," Sokka said as they reached the middle of the room. They turned to see a group of old men standing in front of the entrance in robes.

"We are the Fire Sages, guardians of the Temple of the Avatar," said the one in front, presumably the one of highest rank.

"Great!" Amaya smiled. "I am the Avatar, on a tour of Avatar things, so we'll just-"

"We know who you are," the head monk said before he attacked. Amaya redirected the flames around them all.

"See Sokka? Monks. Vicious," she said. "Go, I've got them! I'll catch up!" she added when she saw Katara start to protest. They took off and Amaya braced her hands on the ground, swinging her legs in a circle. A blast of air caught the sages in the ankle and sent the flying backwards. Propelling herself to her feet Amaya took off down the nearest corridor, hoping she'd meet up with Katara and Sokka at some point.

She did. In fact, she nearly ran them over as they met in a hallway.

"Did you take care of them?" Sokka asked as they ran down the hall.

"For the moment?"

"Do you know where you're going?"

"Yup. Just no idea how to get there. This way!" she said cheerfully, turning down a smaller corridor. She shot around the corner a moment later. "Wrong way!"

A fire Sage appeared around the corner and they all shot off down another corridor, ignoring his calls to wait and come back. However, they had managed to pick a dead end to run down. With no other choice, they turned to face the Firebender and Amaya took a stance, ready to fight.

"Please, I don't want to fight," the Fire Sage pleaded. "I'm a friend."

"How do we know that?" Amaya demanded.

"I know why you're here, Avatar," the sage said, and to Amaya's surprise. He bowed down in front of her, touching his head to the ground.

"Oh god, please don't do that," she said, pulling him upright. "No bowing, _please_ no bowing."

"You wish to speak to Avatar Roku," the sage said. "I will take you to him!"

He pulled a lamp on the wall to the side and placed his hand over a small hole. A tongue of flame wormed its way in and a door appeared outlined in flame before it sank into the wall and slid to the side, revealing a set of stairs down.

"This way," the sage bade.

"Why should we trust you?" Sokka demanded.

"This way!" came the voice of the head sage. "Find her!"

"Because we don't have a choice," Amaya said, grabbing his hand and yanking him down the corridor. Katara followed and the sage came last, closing the passage behind them.

"This temple was Avatar Roku's home. He formed these passages out of the magma from the volcano. My grandfather was one of the sages before me to guard this temple. He knew Roku. We all have a spiritual connection to this place," the sage explained as he lead them down the passage.

"Is that how you knew we were coming?" Sokka asked.

"No. Actually, a few weeks ago, the eyes of the statue of avatar Roku… they started glowing!"

"We were at the Air Temple then!" Katara realized.

"We knew that the avatar had returned to the world," the sage nodded.

"Then why did the sages attack us?" Amaya asked. "It seems like they'd be loyal to me."

"They would have been," he sage nodded. "But things changed. When Sozin started the war, the sages were forced to join him. By that point, they had given up waiting on the new avatar to appear."

"They waited for me," Amaya said softly. Yet more people she had left behind…

"Oh, you're only a century late, it's no big deal," Sokka said, trying to cheer her up. Amaya just glared.

"When I heard you were coming, I knew I had to betray the others," the sage said. "I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord, only the Avatar. I am Shiyu, and I am in your service."

"I'm Amaya," Amaya smiled. "I'd be cool with you just taking m to see Roku though."

The sage smiled and gestured around the corner for them to follow. "These stairs lead to the sanctuary. Once there, you must wait until the light hit the statue of Avatar Roku. Only then will you be able to speak to him."

"How are you not dizzy?" Sokka groaned, clutching his stomach as they walked up the spiraling staircase. Amaya grinned and spun a small cyclone.

"Dizziness is something Airbenders get over fast," she smiled as Shiyu pushed a tile back from above their heads. He peered about before climbing up and gesturing for them to follow. They climbed out into a grand hall with ornate column detailed with dragons. A tribute to Fang, probably. In front of them were a set of grand door that looked vaguely like the door at the Southern Air Temple. Amaya had a bad feeling, and it was made worse as Shiyu exclaimed, "No!"

"What's wrong?" Sokka asked.

"The door should be open!" Shiyu said. "There are only two ways to get inside now. One is by a fully realized Avatar, the other is from five simultaneous fire blasts from the Fire Sages.

"Five fire blasts, huh?' Sokka said, rubbing his chin. "I may be able to do that." He explained his plan and Amaya grinned.

"Sokka you're a genius," she said.

"I'm taking back that genius thing from earlier," she said glumly when it failed, rubbing a finger desolately along the ash around the holes. "It _looks_ like it worked."

Katara grinned. "Maybe that's all we need. Momo, can you get inside?" Momo looked at her, cocked his head, and then scrambled through one of the holes. His shadow could be seen on the other side. "If they think Amaya's inside, the sages will go in after her, and then she gets her chance."

"Katara is now the genius," Amaya smiled.

"Shiyu, go get them. We'll hide behind the pillars and wait," Amaya said. "This will definitely work."

Shiyu nodded and ran off while Sokka, Katara, and Amaya took shelter behind three pillars.

Shiyu returned not a minute later with the sages, pointing out all the evidence. The sages waste no time in opening the door, frantic to stop 'Amaya' from contacting Roku.

"The lemur!"

"We've been tricked!"

"Amaya, go!" Katara called as she and Sokka ran forwards, pinning two sages to the ground while Shiyu and Momo handled the other two.

"Amaya?"

"The Avatar is coming with me."

Sokka and Katara gasped as Zuko appeared, holding Amaya's hands behind her back. She was struggling, wincing as her arms were pulled unnaturally. Their distraction gave the sages a chance to escape and subdue them.

"I'd just like to make it clear I really don't like you," Amaya grumbled.

"I can live with that," Zuko said softly as he pushed her towards the stairs.

"Too bad you still haven't won," she added, before she quick stepped to the side, flipping out of his grip and sweeping her leg around, knocking him to the ground.

"Amaya, go!"

"Seal the doors!"

"Stop her!"

Amaya dropped to the floor, sliding on the polished surface, and glided through the closing doors with inches to spare. Light flared as the doors shut, and they refused to open again, no matter what the sages did.

Inside, Amaya wasn't faring much better.

"Alright, so that's the statue, and yup, that's light. So why is nothing happening?" She glared at the statue. "Come on Roku, I'm in the dark here! I have no idea what I'm doing, all I've got is Airbending. Talk to me!"

The angle of the light changed as the sun went down. The red light crept up his chest, onto his face. Finally, it hit his eyes, and they glowed brightly. Dust swirled from nowhere around her, and when it cleared she was left standing in a rocky wasteland. Avatar Roku stood in front of her in long red robes, his head up in a topknot, and smiling.

"Greetings, Amaya," he said. "It's good to see you. What took you so long?"

Amaya gaped before hurriedly collecting herself and bowing.

And then Roku explained. Her vision, the comet, what it had done and what it was capable of. How Sozin had used it to start the war and destroy the Air Nomads, and how it would return at the end of the summer.

"Amaya, before the comet returns, you must defeat the Fire Lord."

"But I can't even Waterbend worth anything yet!" Amaya protested. "How can I defeat the Fire Lord?"

"You must learn all the elements," Roku said. "And you will do it because you must. I have faith in you, Amaya."

Amaya smiled. In a way, that was like saying she had faith in herself. It made her feel confident. She had mastered these elements all before, and she could do it again. She'd just be taking the crash course.

"I will, Avatar Roku," she said, bowing.

"Time is short," Roku sighed. "Outside this chamber, people are waiting to capture you. I will help you as long as I am able, but after that, you must go."

"Okay," Amaya nodded. Grinning widely, she jumped forwards and hugged Roku tightly. "Thanks Roku. I really needed that pep talk." Roku was surprised, but amused. He patted her shoulder in a fatherly manner.

"You have only to look inside yourself to speak with me, little Avatar," he said.

The doors opened.

"Amaya, run!" Katara called.

But it wasn't Amaya framed in the doorway. It was an old man with flowing red robe and a long white beard. His eyes glowed like Amaya's sometimes did, and that was enough to identify him to everyone.

"Avatar Roku!" the Fire Sages said. They fled in fear as Avatar Roku waved his hands, fire spiraling around him. He twitched his hands, flipping them over. Floors beneath them, magma grumbled and began to rise, destroying the temple with it.

The soldiers fled, their commander with them though he a little reluctantly. Shiyu let Sokka and Katara free and they ran to the door, staring. Where was Amaya?

The glow behind Roku faded, taking him with it, and left Amaya standing there, slumped, tattoos glowing. Katara moved forwards and caught her as she fell.

"Gotta go," Amaya mumbled. A small smile twisted across her lips. "Roku's bringing down the house."

She straightened, blinking her eyes into focus.

"Come on!" she said.

It was chaos as they streaked through the temple, running around falling columns and chunks of ceiling, some of the ground eaten up by magma working its way through the cracks.

But they made it. Because they had to, they made it, Amaya thought as they flew away on Appa. And because I have to, I will do what Avatar Roku asked.

I _will_ master the elements.

I _will_ defeat the Fire Lord.

And I _will_ do it before summer's end.

_Because I have to._


	7. In Which Zuko Gets the Avatar Sort Of

_Amaya blinked. Well, at least she knew this was a dream, otherwise would have been seriously confused._

_She was riding Appa through the air, and Sokka flew on her glider to her left. To her right was Katara on a giant Momo. She smiled and waved at them both._

"_We need you Amaya," Katara's voice echoed in her head._

"_I need you guys too," Amaya said softly. "Though I'd probably never admit it out loud." Sighing, she turned back to watch the sky in front of her. _

_And blinked in surprise. Okay, she'd seen a lot of storms in her day, and she'd seen several of them kick up pretty fast, but this was ridiculous._

_Then again, this is a dream, Amaya reminded herself as she called out to Sokka and Katara. "Be careful, even if it is a dream!"_

_She got no response. Amaya looked to her left. Sokka was gone. She looked to her right. Katara was gone._

_Shaking her head, Amaya turned back to the front. She doubled over as if punched in the stomach as Gyatso floated down in front of her. _

"_Gyatso," she whispered, eyes filling with tears. _

"_Why did you disappear, Amaya?" Gyatso asked._

"_I didn't mean to," Amaya said. "I… I would have probably come back if not for the storm."_

_Slowly, she reached out to touch one of Gyatso's folded hands. She shrank back as he dissolved into dust and blew into her face._

_With nothing else left to do, Amaya turned to the storm._

"_We need you Amaya," Gyatso's voice called._

_Suddenly, Appa jerked under her and they were plummeting for the ocean beneath them. Amaya cried out in fear and recognition as she pulled on the reins, trying to get Appa back up in the air. _

_They hit the water with a splash, and Amaya's vision darkened as she slipped out into darkness._

"_We need you Amaya," chorused Katara, Sokka, and Gyatso. _

A silhouette, wreathed by fire and looming, flashed across her mind, and Amaya woke with a start. Momo jumped up, headed for Katara's lap, but Amaya caught him reflexively.

"No Momo," she said soothingly, petting his head. "Don't wake them up. Enough of those stupid dreams have done that already."

She set him on the ground at her feet and he scampered over to Appa, settling on one of his giant fluffy feet.

With a groan, Amaya rolled out of her sleeping bag and stood.

"Maybe a walk," she mumbled, glancing at Katara and Sokka. But suddenly she just couldn't look away.

"They're not like me," she continued. "They never abandoned anyone. They never betrayed anyone. If she could have stopped this war, Katara would have stayed. So would Sokka. I'm weak. I'm weak, and pathetic, and selfish, and I don't deserve to be the Avatar. I couldn't even handle being told my destiny. How would I have handled actually living it? Oh, Agni," Amaya whimpered and raced into the forest, no thought on her mind but trying to leave those thoughts as far behind as possible.

Her thoughts beat into her head with the same pounding intensity as her footsteps.

_One two. One two. Ava-tar. Ava-tar. One two. One two. Ava-tar. Ava-tar. One two. One two. Ava-tar. Ava-tar._

"Ah!" Amaya exclaimed as both her footsteps and thoughts broke rhythm. She slammed into the ground, unable to react in time to stop herself, absorbed in her thoughts as she was. She mumbled an Earth Nation curse as her jaw slammed into the ground.

Amaya mumbled angrily as she twisted around, glaring at the branch that had been her downfall.

"I'm being stupid," she mumbled, standing up and heading back to Katara and Sokka. "I left. It was a stupid thing to do, and it meant the destruction of my people. But I did do it, and nothing I do or say can change the fact that I ran away like a _coward_. And I'm _still_ acting like a coward."

Cursing herself in her mind, Amaya snuggled her head under her covers, trying to lock herself away from the world.

In the end, her attempts to sleep were thwarted.

"You look terrible," Katara said, blinked at Amaya in the morning. The young Airbender had deep, bruised hammocks under her eyes, and her clothes and hair were more messy than usual from tossing and turning. Strangely, a large bruise darkened her jaw.

"Thanks, love you too," Amaya snapped, then winced. "Ah, sorry. I just didn't sleep well. Didn't mean to snap. I'm just tired.

"Maybe I can fly today and you can catch a nap on Appa's saddle?" Sokka suggested.

"No!" Amaya exclaimed, sitting straight up. Katara and Sokka looked at her, surprised and confused by her outburst. "I mean, er, no. I'm… I'm fine. Come on, let's just pack up and hit the clouds."

"Okay," Katara said, watching her suspiciously as Amaya tossed the apple that was supposed to be her breakfast to Momo, who chattered happily and devoured it.

Amaya tried to keep her hands as busy as possible in an attempt to keep herself from thinking, but like her attempts to sleep after her dream, she was unsuccessful.

If they only knew, she mused. If they knew what I did, would they be so willing to help me? Would they be so concerned about how I slept? Would they even want to look at me?

"Amaya, we need to talk," Katara said sharply.

"Huh?" Amaya blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "What?"

"You had another dream, didn't you?" Katara said suspiciously.

"No," Amaya said, waving away her concerns. "Of course not! Why would you say…? Yeah…"

"What are these dreams about?" Katara asked. "Why are they so bad? Just help me understand, maybe I can help."

"You can't," Amaya sighed. "It's my burden to bear, I can do this. Let's just get packed," Amaya said as she sent the rolled sleeping bags and packs onto Appa's saddle.

"Look at those clear skies Appa," Amaya said to the giant bison, making it clear to Katara that the conversation was over. "Smooth flying."

"We better smoothly fly ourselves to a market," Katara said as she got on Appa, giving Amaya a look that clearly said she wasn't doe with the conversation. "We're out of food!"

"No!" Sokka exclaimed. "We can't go to a market! This was in my dream!"

"And why can't we go to the market?" Katara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Food eats people!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Yeaaaaah," Amaya said slowly. "Uh huh."

"Also, Momo could talk," Sokka continued. "You said some very unkind things."

"I'm sure Momo didn't mean it," Katara assured him.

"Yeah, okay," Sokka said, slumping, but he gave Momo a hurt look.

* * *

><p>Iroh inhaled deeply, breathing the scent of burning coal, the sea, and… a storm.<p>

"A storm is coming," Iroh said allowed.

"You're out of your mind!" Zuko exclaimed. "There's not a cloud in the sky!"

"A storm is approaching from the north. We should alter our course and head southwest."

"We know the Avatar is going north, so we will follow her!" Zuko snapped.

"Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew!" Iroh exclaimed.

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Zuko exploded, just as Lieutenant Ji stepped onto the deck. Zuko caught the way the soldier's eyes narrowed. He approached the older gentleman. "Finding the Avatar is more important than the safety of any one person."

With that, the prince turned and stomped away into the ship.

"He doesn't mean that," Iroh said, trying to pacify the officer. "He's just… all worked up."

Lieutenant Ji frowned, but nodded, and continued about his day, while Iroh hurried after his nephew.

"Prince Zuko!" Iroh called firmly after he had caught the boy going into his chamber. "You cannot antagonize the men like that! Even the smallest grain of rice may tip the scale. One man can make a difference."

"They have to learn their place, Uncle!" Zuko yelled, whirling. "I'm not going to pander to their feelings!"

"Prince Zuko!" Iroh boomed. "What has you so on edge?"

Zuko sighed and slumped, sitting on the edge of his bed. "I had another dream about the Avatar."

"The girl?" Iroh asked. "What about?"

Zuko frowned, but began to explain his dream.

_He was walking through the halls of the Fire Palace. Servants and other people moved out of his way, bowing respectfully and mumbling, "Fire Lord Zuko."_

_Suddenly, a little blur of red shot around the corner and slammed into his legs. Zuko looked down to see a young girl cowering behind his legs, looking up at him nervously and putting a finger to her lips._

"_Tien, come back! It's just a bath, not Boiling Rock!" called a voice. Another figure, this one much larger, came around the corner at a much more reasonable rate._

"_Avatar!" Zuko yelled. Amaya looked up at him in surprise._

"_That's a little bit formal, but okay," she said, blinking at his quizzically. "Zuko, you okay? You look all… well, messed up."_

"_How did you get in the Fire Palace?" he demanded. _

"_I just… kind of… walked in. Have you seen Tien?" Amaya asked._

"_Do you mean that?" he demanded, pointing to the child hugging his knee._

"_Zuko!" Amaya said, shock and anger coloring her voice as she knelt down d pried away the child, picking her up and holding her close. "How dare you?"_

"_How dare I what?" Zuko asked in confusion._

"_Call your own daughter that!"_

"_D-daughter?" he choked. "I… have a daughter?"_

"_Well, seeing as you're the only guy I've ever slept with, and I _really_ remember having her, yeah, I'd say she's yours," Amaya snapped, glaring at him. Suddenly her dark grey eyes softened. "Zuko? Do you really not remember this?"_

"_Remember what?" he asked._

"_Remember us, and getting married, and having Tien," Amaya said softly. "Can you really not remember?"_

"_Getting married?" Zuko squeaked. Amaya nodded sadly and gestured to her hair. He looked up and saw the traditional headdress of the Fire Lady. Then she held up her hand, displaying a ring. _

"Why would I dream about marrying her?" Zuko demanded of his uncle. "It doesn't make sense!"

"Zuko, you know about hormones," Iroh sighed. "Since you're been gone so long, you haven't really been around girls before. Your hormones see the Avatar as a potential match, simply because she's the only girl you've really come in contact with." Iroh suddenly smiled slyly. "Unless, of course, there's some feelings you have that you aren't telling me about? A bit of _affection_ maybe? Some _respect?_"

Zuko glared at his uncle, who held up his hands in retreat. "Alright, alright, I'm going," Iroh said, chuckling as he left.

* * *

><p>"Ripe juices swishing, hah!" Amaya snorted as Sokka rubbed his rear end from where the shopkeeper had kicked him. "That lady was crazy!"<p>

"And she had a mean kick," Sokka mumbled.

"That was kind of mean," Katara nodded.

"Out of food, and out of money!" Sokka exclaimed. "What do we do now?"

"You could get a job," Katara suggested.

"Let's not get crazy here," Sokka deadpanned.

"You shouldn't go out there! Please, you old fool! The fish can wait for a day!"

The trio turned to see an elderly fishing couple. The woman was begging her husband to stay in.

"There's going to be a storm!" the woman exclaimed.

"You're crazy!" snorted the man. "It's a nice day, not a cloud in the sky! No wind, no nothing! Quit nagging me woman, and let me do my job!"

"Shelter," Amaya chuckled nervously. "Thing of goodness, isn't it? Hey, let's go find some!"

"No way!" Sokka snorted. "Nothing's going to happen Amaya. Don't let the old lady get to you."

"My joints say there's going to be a storm!" the old lady exclaimed. "A big one!"

"It's your joints versus my brain and my instincts!"

"Then I hope your brain and instincts can haul in fish, because I won't!"

"Then I'll find a new fish hauler and pay them double!"

"I'll go!" Sokka chirped, running forwards.

"You're hired!" the fisherman said without even glancing at him.

"Uh, Sokka?" Amaya asked nervously.

"What?" he asked. "Katara said get a job, so I got a job. Besides, he's paying double."

"Where'd you hear that nonsense?" the fisherman frowned.

* * *

><p>Zuko's eyes bore into the grey clouds rolling towards them angrily, almost daring mother nature to try and stop him.<p>

"Huh," Lieutenant Ji snorted. "Looks like your uncle was right about the storm."

Zuko gritted his teeth as Iroh shrugged modestly. "Lucky guess!" he chirped.

"Lieutenant!" Zuko yelled, turning to face the officer and striding over to him, poking his roughly in the chest. "You'd better learn some respect, or I will teach it to you." Confident that was the end of the matter, Zuko turned and started away.

"What do you know about respect?" Ji demanded. Zuko paused. "The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard-working crew, to your esteemed uncle, shows you know nothing about respect! You don't care about anyone but yourself! But then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?"

Zuko turned and took a stance. Ji did the same, and their bracers met with a metallic clink. Smoke rose in a thin coil as they fought against each other.

"Easy now," Iroh said, separating the two pieces of armor. "We're all tired from being at sea. I'm sure everyone will feel better after a bowl of noodles."

Ji turned and walked away, while Zuko twisted to face out over the ocean. Iroh placed a hand on his young nephew's shoulder.

"I don't need your help keeping order on my ship," he said coldly, yanking away.

* * *

><p>"Sokka, look at the sky!" Amaya exclaimed, exasperated. "This is crazy! Are you actually going to do this?"<p>

"I said I would, so I will," Sokka replied. "Bad weather has never stopped us before, and we need money for food."

"The girl with the tattoos is speaking sense!" the old woman explained. "You should listen to her!"

"Tattoos," the old man mused, staring at Amaya's forehead and hands. "Airbender tattoos. Well I'll be a hogmonkey's uncle. You're the Avatar!"

"Maybe a little bit," Amaya winced, shifting uncomfortably.

"She sure is!" Katara chirped proudly.

"Don't be so proud about it!" the old man snapped. "She vanished for a hundred years, and left us to the hands of the Fire Nation. You turned your back on the world, girlie!"

"I didn't mean to!" Amaya exclaimed, but inside she wanted to cry. How had this man managed to pluck the exact nerve that was always hurting, always making her feel guilty?

"_Sure_ you didn't," snorted the man. "I'm _sure_ you didn't just completely abandon us. I'm _sure _I just _imagined _the last _hundred years_ of _suffering_ and _war_."

"Amaya is one of the bravest people I've ever met!" Katara said, leaping to her defense, while Amaya winced and stepped back, eyes watering. "I haven't seen her do anything but help people since I found her. It's not her fault she vanished! Right, Amaya?"

Amaya felt pinned, trapped by the old man's and Katara's stares. Her fear must have showed in her wide eyes, because Katara's face softened.

"Amaya?" she asked. Amaya opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't force anything out. She just shook her head slightly and gulped, before doing what came natural.

She hopped on her glider and flew away, heading for high ground.

"Keep running away, like you always do!" the old man called after her. Amaya sobbed and flew faster for a cave in the cliffs above the docks. Behind her, she heard Appa groan and take off. Katara was following her, staring into the rain that suddenly began pouring as the clouds bottomed out.

"I'm a coward," Amaya said when she heard wet footsteps behind her.

"No you aren't," Katara assured her.

"Then why did I run?" Amaya asked.

"I don't know," Katara shrugged. "The old man was only one person who didn't like you. Most of the world does."

"Not then," Amaya winced.

"Then when?" Katara asked curiously.

"I don't want to talk about it," Amaya mumbled, slipping into a corner and hugging her knees to her chest.

"Come one Amaya, talk to me," Katara pleaded, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Help me understand."

"It's a long story," Amaya sighed. "A long, convoluted, messy story."

"Well I'll start a fire and you can tell me about it while we wait out the rain."

Amaya nodded.

Minutes later, they were sitting around a small blaze.

"The day the monks told me I was the Avatar was one of the best and worst days of my life," Amaya sighed.

* * *

><p><em>Amaya was lounging in the courtyard with a group of boys, watching Aang avidly as he coached them through the air scooter trick he had made up. She swore that kid was better than half the monks in this place. Secretly, she had always thought that he had a very good chance of being the Avatar. After all, they were due for an Air Nomad…<em>

"_Amaya, would you come here for a moment?" Gyatso called. Amaya hopped off the air scooter, the only one who had managed to do it, and walked over to him, her wide smile falling as she saw the other monks standing behind him and looking stern. If they were all here, it meant nothing good._

_She followed silently as they lead her to one of the meeting rooms, head bowed and hands folded behind her back respectfully, a few paces behind them. Were it just Gyatso, she would have been looking around at everything, skipping ahead and then running back to tug him forwards and see something. _

_She took her seat kneeling in front of them, while the monks sank onto cushions with much grumbling and creaking of old joints. They rustled loudly as they settled into place._

"_Amaya, there's something we need to tell you."_

_And so she listened. And she listened. And the barely breathed as they told her about her legacy. She absorbed every detail with the detachment of someone studying for a subject they didn't really understand. She tried to process it all, but something in her brain short circuited. Finally, she managed to ask a simple question._

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Oh we've known for a while," said one of the monks, the one she disliked most, with his superior attitude and nasally, grating voice. "Do you recognize these?" From inside his robes, he pulled a roll of fabric and sent it to land in front of her on a gust of air. It uncoiled and Amaya's eyes lit up happily. _

"_My old toys!" she smiled, reaching down and tenderly picking up the worn drum. She remembered playing with them when she was young, until one day they simply vanished. She had been so distraught at the time. After all, it was traumatizing when your six. _

"_These are the four Avatar relics," the monk continued as she twisted the drum gently._

"_They just looked fun," she said, almost apologetic as she looked up at the monks._

"_You chose them because they were familiar," the monk stressed. Amaya thought back, and she could remember a faint sense of something when she had reached for these. Some sort of surety that they would be fun, not just the suspicion they would be. _

"_Normally we would have waited until you were sixteen," Gyatso broke in. "But storm clouds are gathering on the horizon."_

"_War is eminent." _

"_We need you Amaya," Gyatso stressed. Amaya placed the drum back on the fabric, hung her head, and nodded._

* * *

><p>"I don't understand," Katara said. "Why wouldn't you be excited to be the Avatar?"<p>

"War," Amaya shrugged. "I didn't want to be the figurehead for a war. I also didn't want to be seen as better than anyone else, or more worthy of respect. I wanted to earn what I got, and being the Avatar took that away from me. I probably sound selfish and petty, regretting being respected and honored, but that's how I felt. I just knew that suddenly, Aang was the only one who would play games with me."

"Aang?" Katara asked.

"A boy in the temple. Younger by a few years, but he was so sweet, and cheerful. We got along well," Amaya shrugged disconsolately. "He's dead now. But no one else thought it was _fair_, just because now I was _officially_ the Avatar. And then it got even worse. I spied on the monks and that's when I heard…" She inhaled shakily.

"Heard what?" Katara pressed gently.

"Heard they were going to send me away," Amaya said, hugging her knees tight to her chest. "They said Gyatso was thinking with his affections, not his judgment. They wanted me to go the Eastern Air Temple. I didn't know anyone there, not a single person, and I… I'd never get to, because I'd always be training.

"So I went to my room and packed my things. I don't really know what I was thinking. I think mostly I just wanted to get away for a while, to clear my head. I told myself I was never coming back, that I'd make my own way, but I knew I wouldn't be able to stay away. But then the storm came up, and suddenly I was going down, and… I never got the chance."

"That's horrible," Katara said softly. Amaya jerked away angrily, the hundred-year-old hurt stinging like it was fresh, because to her it was.

"I need _people_, Katara. I _have_ to have people, or I think I'd go crazy. And they were going to take that away!" she roared. A hint of that power welled inside her but she hastily pushed it down, the glow fading. She sat down again with a sigh. "You know the rest."

"You ran away," Katara realized.

"Mm hmm," Amaya nodded. "And then the Fire Nation swooped in and ruined everything. I had the chance to do some good, and _my cowardice_ has nearly destroyed the world. Do you understand Katara?" she said, her voice suddenly loud. "Everything, the Water Tribe, the raids, my people's extinction. It's all _my fault!_" she finished with a sob.

"It was meant to be like this, I think," Katara said. "If you'd stayed, you'd be dead too."

"I could have done something, I know I could have," she mumbled.

"You don't know that. Besides, the world needs you now." Katara smiled. "You bring people hope."

Amaya looked up. "I've never had a girl for a friend before Katara. I need one. And I'm glad I'll always have you to tell me I'm being an idiot."

"And Sokka will be right beside me," Katara giggled.

"Help! Help, please!"

Katara and Amaya both shot to their feet as lightning lit the sky, illuminating the figure of the old fisherman's wife standing at the mouth of the cave, sopping wet and worried.

"What's wrong?" Amaya asked as they ran to her side, each taking an arm and helping her towards the fire.

"Sokka," Katara mumbled. "It's alright, you're safe now ma'am."

"My husband's still out there though!" the woman exclaimed. "And this storm... I've never seen anything like it!"

"I have," Amaya mumbled, face hardening. "I'm going to get them."

"I'm coming too," Katara said determinedly. Amaya smiled at her thankfully, flinching as thunder rolled. Would she ever get over this fear of storms?

They lead Appa to the mouth of the cave and climbed on, leaving the old woman with encouraging parting words before flying off into the storm. Amaya found it hard to see, the rain blurring everything, drops stinging her skin as they hit and water dripping into her eyes. And there was simply so much ocean to search…

"I can't see anything!" Katara roared, straining to be heard over the din.

"Focus, we have to find them!" Amaya yelled back, turning. She faced back front and her jaw dropped. A huge wave, dark and roiling, rose in front of them, higher than Appa was flying. They were going to be pushed down. Again.

No. Not this time," Amaya thought, determinedly getting to her feet, swaying to keep her balance through the wind and the slick fur beneath her feet. She spun her staff quickly, slicing a tunnel through the wave in front of them as Appa soared on safely. And there, in front of them, was the boat.

"There!" Katara cried, spotting it also. Amaya flicked the reins and Appa sped up, hovering over the stern of the boat. Sokka and the fisherman were clutching onto lines from the rigging, trying to remain upright. Amaya jumped down, landing unharmed on the deck and gasping as lightning struck not a yard of the starboard side. The mast cracked, falling forwards and threatening to crush them all. She shoved her hands up and a blast of air shot the mast over the side.

"Grab on," Amaya shouted as she tossed them a loose rope from the deck, taking the other end and leaping back onto Appa. With a few deft strokes, she knotted it around the bison's horn and flicked the reins. Appa took off, the two men trailing behind them. Appa groaned and tossed his head, pitching them into the saddle.

And then the wave hit.

Water slammed into Amaya's back, knocking her into the water and jerking her away from Appa. She felt that horrible sinking feeling again and opened her eyes, ignoring the sting of salt water. Katara, Sokka, the fisherman. They had done nothing to deserve this fate, yet here they were, going down with her this time.

_History will not repeat itself._

For the first time, Amaya consciously drew on her power, crossing her legs and slamming her fists together. She glowed, illuminating the water around her with ethereal light. Her friends were swept back into the saddle by the protective bubble, and Appa regained his sense of direction, making for the surface with Amaya perched on his head.

She felt the slap of wind in her face dimly as they broke the surface and she came out of her trance. She opened her eyes and unfolded her legs, swaying slightly in the tiredness left behind after she came out of the Avatar State.

All it took was a misplaced foot and swaying a little too far and she pitched over the side of Appa's head, plummeting for the ship beneath them. The horrible familiar ship… Just my luck, she thought, bracing for impact on the hard metal.

But instead she hit two arms, landing in someone's grasp before being tucked against an armored chest. Her eyes opened slowly and flaming gold met moonlit silver. For an eternity in a moment, they stared at each other, just stared.

Amaya came back to herself abruptly and jerked away from him. He dropped her in surprise and she pushed down hard, leaping onto Appa hovering above them. A flick of her reins, and they were off. Amaya was shaking however. Those eyes, so close up... They were electrifying.


	8. In Which Amaya Hates on Skirts

"Okay, so there was a severe lack of ginger root, but I did find this map," Amaya said as she entered the little alcove where they had set up camp for the time being. Really, this abandoned city had been a stroke of luck. There was the incident with the storm, and now Sokka was ill from all that time in the rain, and they had no cure. Plus, Amaya had noticed an upswing in Katara's coughing.

"Look here," she said, pointing to a spot on the map. "An herbalist's institute. I think we could probably find a cure for Sokka there."

"That's…" Katara started coughing furiously. "That's good."

"And I'll get some for you too," Amaya added, edging away.

"I'm not sick!" Katara protested, before she started coughing wildly. "It's just a cough."

"Yeah, that's what Sokka said yesterday," Amaya said, nodding at the boy nestled in Appa's hair.

"You think you're tough?" Sokka demanded of Momo. "I don't care I you're bigger than me, you can't have the cookie!"

"Okay, go," Katara said, submitting. Amaya went for her glider. "Wait! Maybe you shouldn't fly."

"Why?" Amaya asked quizzically. "I can be there and back in ten minutes if I do."

"Well," Katara mused. "We haven't seen Zuko in a while."

"So that means he's probably due to pop up," Amaya nodded. "I get your point. The glider is kind of visible." She leaned it against the wall and sighed. "Fine, I'll just run. Take all the fun out of life," she grumbled, before shooting off.

"Like it'll slow you down much," Katara mumbled lying back on Appa's fur.

Amaya was running too fast to take in much of the scenery beyond green blur, brown blur, white blur. The mountain was a bit far, and it was uphill a lot of the way. She needed to hurry, so she focused on getting there and getting back more than stopping to smell the daisies.

Soon enough she was at a long, steep staircase up the mountain to the institute. With a few quick jumps she was at the top. It didn't take her long to realize that the place was all but abandoned. Many of the buildings had collapsed, the rest in varying states of disrepair, except for a circular building in the middle of the campus. She darted over and went inside.

The place was filled with beds. Herbs, trees, and flowers grew everywhere, probably categorized some way, but Amaya had no idea what it might be. A few tables were spread along the walkway, scattered with mortars, pestles, string, and bowl. Standing at one table was a woman in a long green robe. Her white hair nearly brushed the floor, held up by a stick and a few leaves. She was hunched over a mortar, a fluffy white cat perched next to her.

"Excuse me," Amaya said, dashing over. "I know it's rude to barge in like this, but I've got these friends, they were out in the rain see, and now they're feverish, and coughing, and one of them is delusional. They're both-"

"Calm down girl, your friends will be fine," the woman said, waving a hand absently and smiling.

"That's good," Amaya said, sagging in relief as the woman continued adding herbs to her mortar and crushing them.

"You know, I've been up here four decades. There used to be other of course, but they've been gone a while now."

"Okay," Amaya said slowly, not really sure what to say as the woman started wandering down memory lane.

"Wounded Earth Kingdom troops still come by some days. Brave boys, they are. And thanks to my cures I always send them off in better shape than when they came. Oh, now where is that plum blossom?" she muttered, wandering down the aisles of plants. She was muttering about the names of the plants and their various uses. Finally she reached up and plucked a flower triumphantly, coming back to the table and dropping it into the mixture.

"Plum blossom," she said happily, crushing it.

"Great!" Amaya said, reaching for the cure. Her hand was whacked sharply by a long-handled wooden spoon. "Ow! Hey!" she said, nursing her hand. "I need that cure for my friends!"

The herbalist laughed at her. "Oh, this isn't the cure. This is Miyuki's dinner! She loves plum blossom," she added conspiratorially.

"That's nice, but what about my friends?" Amaya pressed.

"Oh, all they need is some frozen wood frogs," the herbalist smiled. "You can find them in the swamp at the bottom of the valley."

"What am I supposed to do with frogs?" Amaya demanded, praying she wouldn't be chopping them up or anything like that.

"Suck on them of course!" she grinned widely.

"Suck on them?" Amaya said, going a bit green.

"The frog's skin secretes a substance that will cure your friends. But be warned, once those little froggies thaw out, they're useless!"

Amaya stared at the herbalist. The herbalist stared back.

"You're crazy, aren't you?"

"That's right!"

Amaya beamed. "That's fine. Crazy people are a lot more interesting."

With that she took off outside. The wind had picked up, stirring up dust and making the high grass wave uncomfortably around her knees. She took off towards the stairs only to pitch forwards when she couldn't move her feet.

Turning to look in confusion, Amaya's eyes widened as she saw two arrows protruding from the soft leather of her boots. Either she was incredibly lucky, or the archers were incredibly accurate. She looked around for them nervously and saw a large group squatting in the trees, another volley already coming towards her. She waved her hand quickly, a gust of air deflecting the attack. She reached back and yanked out the arrows, throwing them aside and dashing for the stairs. They were blocked by more of the archers. She jumped to the side, avoiding their arrows, and made for the Cliffside, knowing she had a better chance there than they did.

Without a trace of fear she leapt over the side, angling herself horizontally and spreading her legs so that the fabric of her skirt created some drag and slowed her down. She saw the swamp below her, the murky water standing out against the green of the trees and pulled out one of the fans from the Kyoshi warriors that she kept on her at all times. She opened it, redirecting her fall towards the water. She'd rather land in a swamp than get impaled by a tree any day.

She over corrected though and ended up falling through a gap in the trees. Somehow, the archers had managed to follow her. She was forced to dodge cluster after cluster of arrows, jumping from tree to tree. She hit the ground after a misstep that sent her sprawling and staggered into the water.

Amaya gasped as she broke the surface. No wonder the frogs were frozen. This water was frigid! Already not thrilled with the situation, she reached back into the water and fished around for frozen frogs, cramming them down the neck of her shirt and hoping the bottom was tight enough to hold them in.

She reached down to grab a frog she saw sitting on an underwater log, only to have her arm pinned to a fallen tree behind her. She reached out to pull the arrows free, and had her other arm pinned just a bit above the first. A rope cut into her cheek as a net was launched, effectively cutting off any bit of movement she had left. Amaya slumped tiredly against the wood, completely nonplussed as she was tied up in the net and dragged away.

* * *

><p>Amaya wasn't in any way thrilled with her position. She had held her head high when she was escorted into the Fire Nation fortress, even though it was hard to look dignified when you're being dragged in a net, your hairs a wreck, your clothes are torn, and you look like a drowned rat.<p>

After than indignity, she had been taken to a large round room, her arms and legs spread out and shackled to two tall columns topped by blazing flames, just in case it wasn't clear who she'd been captured by. She only had to wait a little bit before a man in officer's attire came in. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place him. However, she was certain she didn't like him right off the back, just y the smug expression on his face and the swagger in his walk as he strode over.

"So this is the great Avatar," he drawled. "Master of all elements."

"It's Mistress, just so you know," she snapped.

"I don't know how someone like you has managed to evade the Fire Nation for so long," he continued, circling the slightly raised dais she was on.

"Someone like me?" Amaya repeated, not happy with the things he was saying in the slightest.

"A mouthy little girl," the man clarified. "Well, however you managed it, you've been caught now. Your little game of hide and seek is over."

"I've never hidden from you," Amaya snapped. "Untie and I'll take you down in one move."

"Let me think," the man mocked, moving so that she was staring at his back. "Hmm… No. Tell me, how does it feel to be the last Airbender?" he asked, turning and lowering his face so that their eyes were on the same level. "Do you miss your people?"

Amaya snarled, straining at her chains to get at him, but he just smiled. These chains… This being tied down, it made her twitchy and uncomfortable. She was an Airbender, she belonged high in the air, not tied to the ground. It was torture for someone like her, who savored freedom and movement.

With no other defiant action in her arsenal, Amaya spat in his face. Her head jerked to the side as he backhanded her. The armor on the back of his hand sliced into her cheek and she felt hot blood start to leak down her cheek.

"You see, we have to keep you alive," the man said as he wiped the spit off his face. "If you die, we'll just have to start our search all over." He gave her a sinister smile. "But you'd be surprised what you can live though," he added as he walked away. Amaya let him get halfway before exhaling forcefully, blasting him into the door.

"Blow all the wind you want," he snarled as he got to his. "You can't get out, and no one can get in. _You're never leaving here._"

The door slammed behind him.

Amaya's head dropped forwards as the sound faded.

"Watch me," she snarled under her breath, but a tear rolled down her cheek, stinging the cut, before dropping to the ground. Amaya stared at it. A perfect little dome of water, reflecting the flames in the braziers at her sides. Fire and water, together and peaceful.

Amaya rubbed her shoe forwards and obliterated it.

"As if," she grumbled.

* * *

><p>Zuko didn't know what he was expecting when he walked into the Avatar's room. It certainly wasn't to pity her. And really, he didn't, at first. He just saw his prize in the hands of someone else, waiting for him to take it for himself to deliver to his father.<p>

Then she raised her head and completely obliterated that idea.

The right side of her face was swollen, blue and purple. A cut stood out sharply, dried blood crusted on her cheek. Her clothes were tattered and muddy, and she was shaking, probably because of the wet fabric. Her hair was puffed out in odd places, filled with sticks and leaves.

The worst part was her eyes though. The misty silver he remembered as holding determination, defiance, and a bit of curiosity were now drowning him in negative emotions. Disgust, anger, panic, and above all else, vulnerability, were swirling in her eyes.

"If you're going to kill me, go ahead," she sighed. "It'd screw that arrogant idiot's plan up, that's for sure."

Zuko snapped out of his trance at the sound of her voice and the reminder that is was Zhao, not he, that had her. He drew his sword and her eyes widened, the panic overpowering the other emotions as he twirled and sliced grandly, coming towards her. He was showing off, and he knew it, and he couldn't figure out why. She didn't even know it was him, for Agni's sake.

He sliced through the chains holding her arms out wide and they dropped to her side. She examined them curiously, as if she'd never see them before, before holding out her wrists and the still attached cuffs so him.

"Silver isn't really my thing," she said with a small smile. He sliced the manacles away before removing the ones from her ankles.

Amaya leaned up on her tiptoes and giggled as she pressed a thankful kiss to the cheek of the mask.

Zuko inhaled sharply. She kissed him, right over his scarred cheek, just like she had in his dream. Well, sort of. It was the painted wood she kissed, and it was her savior, not the boy who ruthlessly pursued her and attacked her and her friends.

He turned away sharply, needing to collect his thoughts _now_, and walked to the door, gesturing for her to follow him. He heard her footsteps skip after him as they walked down the hall cautiously.

Amaya was watching the man in front of her. He seemed familiar too, even if she couldn't see his face. It was more the way he moved that rung a bell in her mind. Forceful and determined, but tempered with a caution and logic that kept recklessness from making an appearance. It was appealing.

She heard muffled noises from down a hall to her right and paused, looking. She pressed a hand to her lips to keep from bursting out laughing. There was a trio of gagged Fire Nation soldiers dangling from the ceiling, held aloft by chains around their wrists. Their eyes widened when they saw her and their squirming and muffled shouts intensified.

Zuko turned when he heard the avatar's footsteps stop. She was staring down the hall where he had tied up the Fire nation soldiers, a hand pressed to her lips and her eyes twinkling. He remembered that look from the fight in his room aboard the ship. She was amused by something. Well, they did look funny, Zuko admitted as her returned to her side and grabbed her wrist, tugging her down the hall.

Amaya looked up as a hand closed around her wrist and pulled her onwards to see her rescuer returned to her side and pulling her down the hall. He lead her to a little hatch in the ground, bending to open it before dropping inside into ankle-deep water and turning, arms out to catch her.

Mindful of her skirt, Amaya jumped, and felt warm, almost too warm, hands close around her waist and lower her gently into the water with barely a splash. She followed him down the low drainage tunnel until they reached another grate. Moonlight streaked through the bars, illuminating this portion of the tunnel.

Zuko straightened, poking his masked face up through a gap in the bars and staring around for nearby guards or soldiers. There were a few, but they were fairly far away, absorbed in their own conversations. He gestured for the Avatar to follow him and pulled himself out of the tunnel.

Amaya did as he directed and pulled herself out, staying low in a crouch and following him to a rope dangling from the innermost wall of three. She was cursing the fashion of Airbender. Yellow and orange, it was a miracle they hadn't been spotted yet. What did yellow and orange have to do with air anyway?

Zuko gestured for her to climb up the rope, but to his surprise she balked, picking at her skirt and biting her lip.

"Erm, skirts are a bit more breezy than pants," she said, voice low. Zuko blushed behind his mask as he realized what she was getting at and started climbing, the Avatar following.

Amaya mentally cursed the slow going, but skirts really weren't suited for climbing, or escaping, or… much of anything really. Why did she wear one again? They only had limited time, and here her fashion choices were slowing her down. If they could make the first wall before the alert started, maybe they had a chance.

The alarm sounded. No such luck. Maybe they could still get to the wall before they were spotted.

"There! On the wall!"

Did the universe hate her or something?

The rope was cut lose by a quick sword stroke from the guard on the wall above them and she and her rescuer pitched towards the ground. She waved her hands and a cushion of air caught them, giving them a much more reasonable drop before they landed.

Zuko gestured with one sword and took off towards the gate, the avatar following. She made a few quick steps and took the lead.

"Stay close to me," she said, before she leapt, flipping once before landing with one legs extended. Her arms swept up from the ground to shoulder height and blasted air at a line of soldiers guarding the rapidly closing gate. She spun around and kick trailing a vicious wind took care of the last few soldiers standing.

They moved faster now, the gates almost closed.

Amaya had almost reached the gate when she heard metal clashing behind her. She turned and saw the masked man in a fight with five Fire nation soldiers. He was holding his own, she noticed, peeking at the gate, before mentally slapping herself. No! I'm not leaving anyone behind ever again!

She jerked as a spear thrust under her arm and seized the shaft to keep her balance, leaning back and kicking out with a blast of wind that sent the Fire Nation soldier on the other end. She knocked of the deadly metal tip and ran for the fight, dropping to the ground and sweeping her legs around. The man noticed and jumped over the attack, but the other soldiers weren't so lucky. The wave of air took them in the ankles and knocked their legs out from under them. She sent a gust along the shaft of the broken spear and used it to vault the man in black onto the first wall. Spinning it above her head, she lifted into the air.

This really wasn't the best way to do this. She would have given anything for her glider right now, but that was safe back with Katara. This propeller technique required a lot of stamina that she didn't have. It was hard to hold herself aloft, and she was already feeling the strain in her arms. She could only pray her companion wasn't too heavy.

Zuko twitched as long, lean legs wrapped around his chest and lifted him into the air. He looked up to see the Avatar's face twisted with effort as she tried to keep them aloft at least to the next wall. He looked down and hastily swiped away a pair of thrown spears, his movements jerking them off course and pulling them down a bit.

Amaya barely made it to the wall before she gave out, dropping them both to the ground roughly. She got to her feet as quickly as she could, her arms rubbery, and was immediately dodging the attacks of a sword-wielding Fire Nation soldier. She smiled slightly as she twirled in circles, remembering the field of spinning gates where she had first learned this technique. Her first attempt had been disastrous; she had knocked out a tooth after running face first into the corner of a gate. Thankfully it was a baby tooth…

Amaya yanked herself off memory lane as a blue mask appeared over the soldier's shoulder before he was tossed over the side of the wall. She looked down to see three siege ladders being walked up the walls by determined soldiers. They were I place before she could do anything. With no time for finesse, she just punched with both hands and blasted the soldier's back to the ground, doing the same with the ladder to her left. That was when she got an idea. A crazy, mad, wonderful idea.

Pulling up the first ladder she passed it to the masked man.

"Take this!" the Avatar said, shoving a ladder at him. Zuko was confused, but did as she asked. She picked up the second ladder and jumped onto the last one, balancing lightly on the thin rungs as it wavered and started to fall.

"Jump on my back!" she called, and Zuko blinked. Was she serious? Then again, she had gotten them this was on a combination of resourcefulness and dumb luck. He jumped, wrapping his legs around her, and his momentum pushed them forwards. The Avatar braced the second ladder on the ground and jumped onto it, letting the first crash to the ground.

"Give me the next one!" she called and he passed it to her, smiling as he realized her intention to stilt-walk across the gap between the second and outer walls. She braced this one and hopped onto it as they swayed towards the wall. Unfortunately, that was when a soldier beneath them gathered his wits and lit the bottom of the ladder on fire. The flames worked their way up the wood quickly. The Avatar had no choice but to jump as the flames licked at her skirt.

Zuko was confident she could have made it without him to weight her down. His weight shortened her jump and they slammed into the wall. She made a desperate grab for the wall but her hands slipped, as did his, and they fell towards the girl. She cushioned them again as they landed in front of the gates, but now there was no chance. The gates were closed, and they were surrounded.

Amaya twirled, pushing the masked man behind her as she faced down the four fire blasts, wrapping them in a cocoon of swirling air that deflected the flames.

"Stop!" called the voice of the man who had captured her. He was at the front of the ranks. "The Avatar must be captured alive!"

Amaya inhaled sharply as she felt the cold, keen edges of a pair of blades cross over her throat. She was pulled back against the lean, strong chest of her rescuer-turned-captor. At this point, she was beyond trying to figure this out, and just wanted to get away with her life and her freedom.

"Open the gates," her first captor said.

"Commander?" asked an officer behind him in surprise.

"Open them!"

The gates ground opened and Amaya had to struggle to remain upright as she was walked backwards out of the fortress, bent backwards awkwardly. She was walked down the road, the swords still at her throat. She was just formulating a plan on how to get away from this situation when the swords vanished and the man behind her fell to the ground, dropping his swords. Instinctively, she waved her hands and stirred up a cloud of dust before rushing to his side. The wood of his mask was chipped slightly and Amaya realized it must have been those horribly accurate archers. They had knocked him out.

His head was angled slightly, exposing the ribbon holding his mask in place. She reached for the exposed ribbon hesitantly. Curiosity killed the cat, Gyatso was fond of saying. But satisfaction brought it back, she had retorted. That in mind, Amaya reached forwards and undid the ribbon with a deft stroke, lifting the mask away gently.

A scarred cheek, a pale face.

A prince.

Zuko.

She scrambled backwards and made for the trees before pausing, remembering that she had thought no moments before, that she wasn't leaving anyone behind anymore. And she was about to do that, wasn't she? Zuko had done her a kindness. He had freed her.

So, ignoring his past actions, Amaya thrust his swords through the sash at her waist and wrapped the ribbon on the mask around her fingers, reaching down and pulling one of Zuko's arms around her shoulder, grunting. Why was he so _heavy?_ She jumped, taking to the trees. She went from limb to limb, making sure the two were close together in order to avoid a repeat of the wall incident when Zuko's weight had dragged her down.

When she was confident they were far enough from the fortress and there weren't any troops following them, she dropped to the ground, dumping Zuko on the ground and looking at him harshly. Her face softened as she saw how vulnerable he looked, lying there crumpled and unconscious. Wondering whether her mothering instincts were good or bad in his case, she scraped together a bed of leaves in a gap between two thick tree roots and laid him down, looking at him again. The hood from his thief's garb had slipped down, revealing his hair. It was out of its usual ponytail, straggling over his face. It looked… strange. It made him seem less like the boy that pursued them so often.

Amaya reached into her pocket and drew out an orange ribbon. She carefully swept up his hair and tied it back. In all honesty, she was just looking for things to do. It seemed callous to leave him here unconscious, yet just sitting her quietly seemed too strange to contemplate. With nothing left else to do, Amaya sat on a high root next to him and put her chin on her knees, preparing for some in depth thinking on the hows, whos, and whys, of the night.

Who was the man who had captured her? How were those archers so accurate? Who where they? Where was she? How had they managed to get out? And most importantly, why had Zuko saved her?

Speak of the devil and he shall appear, she thought as Zuko let out a small groan and blinked his eyes open. Or rather, he will wake.

His golden eyes were fuzzy as they focused on her. Amaya rotated so that she was facing him, leaning on one arm with her legs stretched out along the root.

"You know," she said conversationally. In all honesty, she just wanted noise. If they were just stuck staring at each other in silence she might lose it. "When I was a girl, the monks used to get mad at me because I would spend all my time playing with the boys, getting dirty and playing tricks instead of staying inside and reading like a good little girl. Of course, that was before I knew I was the Avatar and people started treating me like some sort of dusty old parchment that would break if you breathed on it," she added bitterly. "I had friends in other nations. They're all dead now, well, not Bumi. But I think that's the worst part of being born so long ago. When I was younger and Gyatso, my guardian, took me to the Fire Nation, I men a boy named Kuzon. He's one of the one's I miss most now. You remind me of him," she admitted. "He was horribly determined to get me too. Of course, you want to turn me over to your father. He wanted to marry me. I wonder," she mused. All this reminiscing of old friends… "If we had met all that time ago, would we have been friends?" she asked, turning to him. More? she added in her mind.

Zuko just stared at her, and for a moment, Amaya thought she might get a response. But then he snarled and punched, fire racing towards her. She leapt up, landing crouched on a branch like a hogmonkey. She looked back at him sadly before moving off, pushing off trees to get away.

Zuko stared after her, confused. A strange feeling had settled in his throat, like he wanted to say something but didn't know what it was. Everything she had said. There was nostalgia, remembrance in her voice, a sadness of lost friends. She spoke of being treated specially, and he knew what that was like, people bowing and scraping to keep from offending you, everyone fretting over you. And when she had asked that question, there was a hope in her eyes that he might say yes.

Zuko opened his mouth, wondering what was waiting in the back of his throat to be said.

"Maybe," drifted from his lips, and he had no idea what it meant. Shaking his head, he turned and began the long trek back to the ship.

* * *

><p>Amaya trudged tiredly up the steps to the alcove where Sokka and Katara waited for her as down broke the next day, thoughts in a whirl and body shaking with tiredness. Even after everything that had happened, she had had to return to the swamp to get fresh frogs, since the other ones had long since thawed.<p>

"Suck on these," she said softly, pushing a frog into Katara and Sokka's mouths. They sucked obediently, not even bothering to look at what they had in their mouths.

"Make any new friends on your trip, Amaya?" Sokka asked, still in that cheerful voice that meant he was delusional.

She thought back to her conversation with Zuko. There had been a moment when she had thought he would reply.

"Maybe," she said vaguely before flopping onto Appa's tail.

"What happened to your cheek?" Katara asked worriedly. Amaya had no idea what she was talking about for a moment, but then she remembered the escape and the man's slap. Finny, it had all been eclipsed by the conversation from afterwards.

"Nothing," Amaya said absently. "I tripped." She started going over her time in the Fire Nation fortress in her mind and remembered the incident by the wall and her thoughts on skirts in general. Suddenly determined to do something, she turned to Katara and asked, "Where's your needle and thread?"

Katara looked confused, but pointed towards her pack and said, "On the bottom. Why?"

"Skirts are hard to run in," Amaya shrugged as she walked over, carefully rummaging through spare clothes and other items before pulling out a pair of scissors and the needle stuck in a bobbin of blue thread. Okay, it wouldn't match, but that was fine.

Praising the gods that the monks thought girls should be able to sew, she went to her own bag and pulled out an old orange cape. She took a moment to take measurements and plot out the pattern before cutting out the pieces.

Amaya spent the rest of the day while Katara and Sokka sewing, taking a break to roll on the floor and laugh like an idiot when the frogs in their mouths thawed out and started wiggling. Their faces… priceless.

By the time they were fit for travel again, Amaya had a whole new outfit to change into, one she vastly preferred. She slipped off right before they left to change. The outfit consisted of orange leggings and a long-sleeved yellow tunic lined in orange that fell to the middle of her calves. However, it was split on both sides to her hips for freedom of movement. A strip of orange fabric cinched in the waist and kept her fans in place.

She used a few strips of left over orange fabric to wrap her forearms before sliding on the guards from Kyoshi Island that she still wore. A short orange shawl was wrapped around her shoulders, tied at the middle of her upper arms. Amaya smiled at the little tribute to Aang. She slid on her remaining necklace, willing to trade it for the more personal one from Gyatso.

Picking up her glider and going back to her friends, she tucked her old clothes back into her pack, reveling in the kick of confidence that came from having new outfit.

"Is this going to be a normal thing with you?" Sokka asked worriedly. "We don't have time for shopping. End of summer deadline, remember?"

"I just realized the impracticality of skirts," she said primly as she tied her pack down on Appa's saddle and climbed onto the bison's head.

"Or you're a girl," Sokka suggested, and got a branch thrown at him. Amaya glared.

"Of course I'm a girl, idiot. Yip yip!"

She flicked the reins and Appa took off, carrying them towards the North Pole.

* * *

><p><strong>And there's my apology for my loooong absence.A TRIPLE UPDATE all in one day! I feel so accomplished! Of course, my Saturday is gone, but... who cares! The Blue Spirit and the Storm chapter were some of my favorites to write so far. We're getting closer to the season 1 finale, when things will start to kick off a bit more. Of course, I've got an entire series to do here. Updates will probably weekly or biweekly, depending on how my schedule is. ]<strong>

**And you know how you can thank me for my triple update? I'd like to see some fan art of Amaya. She can be in a scene from the story, with Zuko, with Katara and Sokka, with Momo, back in the Air Temple in the past, I don't care. Just give me credit and give me link. I want to know how people are seeing her so far. PLEEEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEEE?**

**And, as always, review!**


	9. In Which Perfume Saves the Day

"Okay, we're in the Earth Kingdom right?" Amaya asked.

"Yeah, why?" Sokka asked. Amaya picked up the strange weapon and held it out for him to examine.

"This looks very Water Tribe to me," she said. Sokka snatched the weapon, turning it over and running a hand along the hilt. "Is that a whale's tooth?"

"Yes," Sokka said, suddenly intense. "Spread out, see if you can find anything else!"

"Aye aye cap'n," Amaya blinked, surprised by the suddenly shift from goofy Sokka to stern Sokka. Actually, she hadn't been sure stern Sokka existed until now.

She did as he asked and combed through some nearby bushes, looking for anything that seemed out of place or militarized.

"Did you lose your boomerang again Sokka?" Katara asked wearily as she walked over.

"No, Amaya found a Water Tribe weapon," Sokka explained, bending down and brushing some leaves away from a broken arrow. "And so did I." He picked it up and turned it over in his hands, feeling the point. His fingers were black when he pulled them away. "Burned," he declared, before sighting some scorch marks on a nearby tree. "There was a fight," he said. "Water Tribe warriors ambushed some Fire Nation soldiers. They pushed them down this hill," he said, before taking off after the thrill. Thrilled by the finding and the tracking, Katara and Amaya followed him down the rocky incline until they reached the beach, where he ran over to the waves.

"What happened next?" Amaya pressed.

"I don't know," Sokka said, shaking his head. "The trail ends here."

"No it doesn't!" Katara shouted, pointing to a cluster of rocks a way off. There was a boat with furled blue sails beached there. "Look!"

They all ran over, tripping a bit in the loose sand. Sokka ran a hand over the stretched animal skins of the boat.

"Is it dad's boat?" Katara asked eagerly.

"No," Sokka said, but he was smiling. "But it's from his fleet. Dad was here!"

"That's great you guys!" Amaya congratulated them.

They camped by the ship that night without a discussion, though Amaya would have preferred something more sheltered. She was wary after the incident with the Fire Nation fortress. She shoved away memories of her conversation with Zuko. Katara seemed to draw comfort from the ship, pushing her sleeping bag as close to it as she dared. Sokka, however, seemed plunged into a whirlwind of bad memories. Amaya knew he was reliving the day his father had left them behind for war, and she also knew that the two were hoping, even though they knew it wouldn't happen, that their dad would come back to the boat.

She was nearly asleep, curled up on Appa's leg, kept warm by his heat and the fire, when it happened.

"Sokka?"

"Bato?"

"Who now?" Amaya mumbled sleepily, sitting up and rubbing her eyes wearily before staring across the campfire to the man standing there.

He had the same dark skin and hard that Katara and Sokka had, declaring him Water Tribe, just in case the blue and white clothes didn't clarify. He only wore one sleeve of his shirt, revealing a heavily-bandaged chest and left arm. Surprise was written in his blue eyes as he looked as the trio and the animals around them.

"Sokka, Katara!" the man smiled as the two teens ran to embrace him. "Oh, you two have gotten so tall!"

"Hi, I'm Amaya," she said cheerfully, walking over, but she was ignored.

"Where's dad?" Katara asked, completely ignoring her.

"Is he here?" Sokka pressed.

Bato laughed. "He and the others should be in the eastern Earth Kingdom by now.'

A chilly wind blew off the sea, only emphasizing the temperature away from the firelight.

"Come on, let's find a cozier place to catch up," Bato said, wrapping an arm around Katara and Sokka each. Amaya stared after them, surprised. Bato turned and gestured to her and she snapped out of it, grabbing Appa's reins and pulling him along after the Water Tribe members, Momo resting on the saddle.

Bato lead them up a thin, well-worn dirt path through the trees to an abbey sitting on a cliff overlooking the sea. He walked inside, easily leading the younger members of his tribe, with Amaya trailing behind.

"When I was injured, the sisters took me in and treated my wounds," Bato explained. "Sister!"

A woman wearing a different headdress than the others turned to face him curiously.

"These are Katara and Sokka, Hakoda's children," he introduced. "I found them down by my boat. They've been travelling with the Avatar."

"Young Avatar, it brings me great joy to see you," Mother Superior said with a kind, motherly smile.

"It brings me great joy to be here," Amaya beamed. "I'm honored. If there's anything I can-"

"What smells so good Bato?" Sokka broke in, talking over her. Amaya blinked, looking at him in surprise. He'd never done that before. Ah well, he was excited to see Bato, she could understand him wanting to catch up and talk.

"The sisters craft perfumes and ointments," Bato explained, gesturing to some urns against the wall.

"Perfume?" Sokka said, grinning. "Maybe we should dump some on Appa. Cuz he stinks! Am I right, am I right?"

"You have your father's wit," Bato deadpanned. "Come on, I'll take you to my quarters."

He lead them over to room with a sliding screen door. Opening it, Katara and Sokka's eyes went wide and starry.

"Oh Bato, it looks just like home!" Katara praised.

"Everything's here, even the pelts!" Sokka grinned, rubbing a fur spread out on the ground.

Amaya stared and went a bit green. Maybe it was all the 'love everything, respect life' from the Air Temple monks, but she couldn't help but be a bit annoyed that something an animal had relied on to keep it from freezing to death was not a decoration.

"Nothing says home sweet home like dead animal skin," she said, wrinkling her nose distastefully.

Her nose wrinkled further when she was handed a bowl of what Katara had been delighted to discover was stewed sea prunes. She nervously ate a bite, staring at the soggy purple lump balanced on her spoon, and chewed. She swallowed it whole after it hit her tongue and pressed and hand to her stomach.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she mumbled, but no one was interested in her.

"Bato, is it true you and dad lassoed an Arctic hippo?" Katara asked, eyes gleaming as she looked at Bato like he was her hero.

"It was your father's idea, he just dragged me along," Bato said. "Well, technically the hippo did the dragging."

"Hey, that's kind of like at Kyoshi Island when I-"

"Which one of you came up with the great blubber fiasco?" Sokka asked, once again talking over her.

"You knew about that?" Bato asked sheepishly.

"Everyone does!" Katara smiled.

Amaya was… at a loss. Everywhere they had gone, she had been the center of attention because she was the Avatar, and now that she wasn't… well, she resented it. Amaya immediately pinched herself viciously.

What was wrong with her? So Sokka and Katara were more concerned with Bato than with her, big deal! It wasn't like it wasn't expected. They had found someone from their tribe, someone they were obviously close to. She would probably be the same if they happened upon an Air Nomad.

Amaya wondered if maybe that was the problem. Katara and Sokka had just found what she would never had, a part of their people. She would never have that again, and much as she hated herself for doing so, she resented them for it. Some little voice at the back of her head whispered that it wasn't fair, she was the _Avatar,_ shouldn't she at least have _someone? _Someone who would tell her stories of past hijinks, who

She did have someone. Several someone's in fact. She had Appa and Momo; she had Suki and Shiyu who had defended her even though they didn't really know her. And most of all she had Katara and Sokka, and here she sat begrudging them their little bit of home.

"I'm expecting a missive from your father any day now," Bato said. "He's supposed to send word once they've found a rendezvous site. When it arrives, you could come with me, and see your father again."

"That would be amazing!" Sokka said, waving his arms around jubilantly.

"We haven't seen him in so long!" Katara said softly, smiling.

"It has been far too long hasn't it?" Bato said sympathetically.

Suddenly the fire was too hot, the smell of stewed sea prunes filling her nose and making her stomach turn. The oppressive noise of Katara, Bato, and Sokka chatting echoed in her ears. Her spoon slipped from nerveless fingers and clattered to the floor, loud as an avalanche.

"I'm going outside for some air," Amaya said, placing her bowl on the ground and dashing out the door. She ran out of the abbey, ignoring the worried call of a nun and ended up on the beach, staring out over the sea. The moon cut a silvery trail across the ebbing waves. Amaya stared at the beautiful scene dispassionately, not really registering any of it as her thoughts whirled.

Almost without conscious thought, she slipped off her boots and bent down, rolling up her leggings before wading into the water and letting it lick around her calves.

_I can't believe myself. Thinking I deserve what they have because I'm the _Avatar._ I've heard Avatar's can be prone to big egos, but this? I always thought I was better than that. I don't _want_ to be selfish and think I'm entitled, I used to _hate_ people like that back at the Air Temple. I don't _want_ to be a bad person, but the way my thoughts were going… does that make me a bad person? Or does the fact that I didn't like what I was thinking mean I'm not? When did everything get so _confusing?

Amaya buried her head in her hands, shaking with emotion.

_It was only three weeks ago that my biggest concern was whether I would be able to do that air scooter trick of Aang's. Now I'm fleeing for my life from the fire Nation, about to go to war, trying to learn all four elements in a matter of months. Gyatso, I've never needed you more than I do now. But I don't have that option, because it _wasn't _three weeks ago. A century has passed. No one remembers my people's lives, how we were known for our artwork, or how we had so many meditative positions that it took years to master them all. That our children played our own games and studied a history that no one lives to tell._

No one but me.

Amaya's head flashed up, determination hard in her eyes as she stared out over the waves.

_I will live, I will do this, because my people are relying on me. If I die, so do they. I am their last chance to be known, and I will not fall. _

"Excuse me, miss?" said an impatient voice behind her. Amaya jerked out of her thoughts, whirling to see and Earth Kingdom soldier on an ostrich horse.

"I'm looking for Bato of the Water Tribe," he barked.

"I know him," Amaya said softly.

"See that he gets this," the soldier said, thrusting a scroll at her. Amaya took it hesitantly and the soldier turned his mount around, galloping away across the sand. She looked down at the message in her hand and unrolled it, eyes widening when she saw a map marked with a location. The map Bato had talked about, the one that lead to Hakoda.

Suddenly all her insecurities and doubts were back.

All she wanted to do, all she had to do… She wouldn't be able to handle it on her own, and she knew it. And if Katara and Sokka got this map, they would leave her. She remembered her conversation with Katara in the cave during the storm.

"_I need _people_, Katara. I _have_ to have people, or I think I'd go crazy."_

She hadn't realized until now just how true that statement was.

So, hating herself with every movement, Amaya folded up the missive and tucked it securely inside her sash, staring out over the ocean.

"I'm not a bad person," she whispered. "Am I?"

* * *

><p>Amaya could barely stand to be around Sokka and Katara the next day. She felt sick with guilt, the map in her sash weighing her down as she trudged around the abbey and worked her way through the day. In an effort to distract herself, she Airbended to feed Appa, but the moves were too simple now, they didn't provide anything for her mind to latch onto and wrestle with. She tried making a batch of perfume with the nun's, but she couldn't focus long enough to make anything more than a small vial of smelling salts. What she needed was a fight, to work of this nervous energy. Something intense to do.<p>

"I think this is the first time I've hoped for Zuko to show up," Amaya mumbled as she followed the Water Tribe members down to the waterfront so that Bato could examine his boat. Katara and Sokka seemed to be glued to his hip, and Amaya trudged along after them tiredly, bags under her eyes from nights tossing and turning with nervousness.

"This boat was built by my father," Bato mused as e ran a hand over the hull.

"Did he take you ice dodging in it?" Sokka asked eagerly.

"Oh yes," Bato nodded, chuckling. "There's a scar to prove it. But I'm sure you've got some exciting stories about ice dodging, eh Sokka?"

"He never got to go," Katara answered softly for him as Sokka's head hung in disappointment. "He was too young when dad left."

"Excuse me, but what's ice dodging?" Amaya asked, hoping for something to sink her teeth into and distract herself with.

"It's a tribe custom. When a boy turns fourteen, he… You know what?" Bato said after a moment of consideration. "You're about to find out!"

And find out she did. It wasn't fifteen minutes later that they were out to see on the deck of Bato's ship, gathered around the older man as he explained.

"Ice dodging is a ceremonial test of wisdom, bravery, and trust. In our tribe it's done by weaving a ship through a field of icebergs."

"How do you ice dodge without ice?" Sokka asked, staring around as if he expected icebergs to suddenly appear out of the ocean."

"You'll be dodging those," Bato said, pointing to a cluster of sharp, pointy rock and chuckling as Sokka and Katara's jaws dropped. "Sokka, you take the rudder and steer us. You call the shots, so lead wisely. Katara. Secure the mainsail. The winds can be brutal, so be brave. Amaya, you take the jib. Without you, we all go down. It's a position of trust."

"Of course it is, yeah, I can do that, you can count on me," Amaya jabbered. "What's a jib?"

Bato pointed before sitting down at the stern. "I can't help you if this is one right. Whether you pass or fail is down to you and you alone."

There was a moment of drifting as they neared the rocks and then Sokka called, "Amaya, ease up, Katara, stay steady." There was a pause and then, "Amaya, more sail, Katara, give her room!"

Amaya let a little bit of the rope ease through her hands and Sokka pulled hard on the rudder, the boat jerking roughly as they spun around the side of a large rock.

"Amaya, helm to lee, helm to lee!" Sokka called.

"I don't speak ship!" Amaya shouted, fingers clenching on the rope in her hands until her knuckles were white. With nothing else in mind, she jerked on the rope. They bobbed wildly, but barely scraped by the rocks just the same.

Katara turned around, smiling, but then she heard Bato rise and turned back to look in front of them. Amaya and Katara's eyes went wide as they saw the impassible reef in front of them.

"There's no way though!" Katara called.

"Sokka, you've proven yourself already, we can stop now," Bato said nervously, holding tightly to the side of the boat.

"No, we can make it!" Sokka said determinedly, a fierce sort of excitement in his eyes. "Amaya, I'm going to need a lot of air in that sail. Katara, bend as much water between those rocks and us and you can. Ready? Now!"

Amaya stuck her arms out and rotated her shoulders, blasts of air sliding along her limbs and jetting into the sail. Katara waved her airs, gradually building up a huge wave beneath them. They came up to the rocks, and Sokka clenched his fist nervously. Katara worked feverishly to get the wave high enough, and it just barely was, skimming them over the top of the rocks and into the peaceful waters beyond. Sokka sagged against the rudder in relief, Katara and Amaya turning to smile at him.

_That was exactly what I needed to get my mind off… drat. _Amaya smile faded before she quickly fixed it back in place, hoping no one had seen anything. She remained in a faux happy mood until they reached the shore and anchored the boat with strong cords. Then Bato brought out a small bowl of paint and approached them reverently, dipping his thumb inside.

"Let the spirits of water bare witness to these marks," he proclaimed. "For Sokka, the mark of the wise, the same mark your father earned."

On Sokka's forehead he drew a concave line with a small dot under it. Sokka beamed.

"For Katara, the mark of the brave. Your courage inspires us all."

Katara glowed as a crescent moon was smeared onto her forehead.

"And for Amaya, the mark of the trusted. You are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe."

Amaya felt the curved line slicked across her forehead and shuddered. It felt wrong. The paint was cool, she knew, but it seemed to burn into her head, whispering what she had done, was still doing, in her ear.

"No," she said softly.

"Amaya, what's wrong?" Katara asked worriedly.

"Don't honor me, I don't deserve it," Amaya mumbled to the ground.

"Why not?" Sokka chuckled, thinking it all some sort of joke.

"You can't trust me!" Amaya snapped, backing away from the happy, trusting faces that she didn't deserve. She wondered what had ever possessed her to do this, to hide the missive, now that that act was about to ruin all of this.

Slowly, she reached into her sash and pulled out the paper, holding it out shame-facedly. "A messenger gave me this for Bato," she murmured. Katara took it and unfolded the paper. Her eyes flew open and a hand covered her mouth. "Please understand, I was afraid-"

"This is the map to our father!" Sokka roared when he saw it. Amaya winced, turning away. Each word fell like a hammer blow. "You had it the whole time? Well you can forget us going to the North Pole with you, I'm going to find dad."

"Now Sokka, maybe we should-" Bato began soothingly, but Sokka cut him off.

"Are you coming with me Katara?" he demanded.

Amaya stared at her, eyes pleading for what she didn't dare voice aloud because she didn't deserve it. Katara looked at her for a moment before turning her face away. "I'm with you Sokka."

And the Water Tribe members walked away, leaving Amaya, shaking and miserable, standing by the boat and staring after them mournfully.

_What have I done?_

* * *

><p>Amaya sat on Appa, her knees curled up to her chest and her chin resting there, eyes staring ahead and constantly on the edge of tears. She looked down as Katara walked over.<p>

"Good luck," was all she said, but to Amaya it was more a promise not to hold this against her.

"Thanks," she whispered back. "You too."

Katara turned and left with the men. Amaya looked again as Mother Superior walked over to her.

"I suppose I should be going now," Amaya said with a pathetic attempt at a smile.

"That would be best," the nun said, her stern face showing disapproval.

It was perhaps the nun's reactions that hurt most. These were women who had devoted their entire lives to being the best people they could be, had invited her into their home, and she had done something so utterly selfish in exchange. They knew it, and she knew it. They showed their opinion, and she recoiled.

Amaya flicked Appa's reins and the giant bison lowed softly, moving through the front gate.

"I was a fool Momo," Amaya murmured to the lemur as she looked at Katara and sokka's retreating backs. "And I did this to myself."

She turned her face away and steered Appa down the opposite road, focusing all her efforts on not crying. It was perhaps the worst part of this, that this was something she had brought on herself. If she had mastered her emotions as the monks had always preached, she could have shoved it all down and done what she knew was right, then maybe none of this would have happened. Sokka and Katara might have chosen to come with her.

"Who am I kidding, why would they pick me over their father?" Amaya said aloud mournfully. "I wouldn't pick me."

* * *

><p>Amaya made it all the way to the beach before Appa's reins came loose, the growled, annoyed, and stopped him, bracing her foot against the horn and yanking with all her might, trying to tighten the toughened leather.<p>

"Avatar! Avatar!"

Amaya looked up in surprise. Mother Superior was waddling across the sand, a look of panic fixed on her face.

"What is it?" she asked, fearful something had happened at the abbey.

"You must go now!" Mother Superior said, waving her hand. "Hurry!"

Annoyance flashed across Amaya's face. "Okay, I understand, no one wants me around!"

"No, it isn't that!" the nun said. "Just after you left, people came for you. It was a woman riding a terrible beast, and an angry boy with a scar!"

"Zuko," Amaya said, but the sound didn't hold quite the venom it once had.

"The beast was using a necklace to track you," the nun continued.

"A necklace?" Amaya repeated, touching her throat that was one chain too little. But no, it couldn't be hers. There was no way the old woman could have beaten Zuko down here if it was that scent they were following. But then Katara had also lost a necklace, and…

"Katara!" she shouted. If it was tracking by scent, maybe she could lead it somewhere. But it would have to be somewhere fairly contained, a rampaging animal could do a lot of damage, she knew that from Appa's bath days. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm about to turn your abbey into a war zone," she apologized. "Appa, yip yip!"

Appa took to the air and within seconds they were over the abbey.

"Stay here unless I need you, okay buddy?" Amaya said, rubbing his head. She seized her glider and jumped, opening it and latching on. She needed to lay a thick layer of her scent to get the beast here. She circled over the courtyard, hoping it would work from this height.

It did. Not a minute later a huge brown beast broke down the hastily-patched doors of the abbey. She recognized it from her studies as a shirshu. Hyper-sensitive nose, whip-like tongue with paralytic toxins, she recited mentally.

She spotted five figures on the creature's back. There was a woman holding a hip, presumably the animal's owner, Zuko, and his uncle. Two limp blue bundles were draped over the rear of the saddle. Sokka and Katara. Amaya frowned.

The shirshu reared up, following her scent higher. It stretched too high however and threw its riders, losing its balance and crashing to the ground. The woman snapped her whip and the animal was on its feet again. She mounted and charged, coming straight for Amaya. She grinned as Appa barreled into the shirshu's side, slamming it into a wall of the abbey.

"Thanks buddy," she murmured, before turning her eyes to her opponent. Zuko, that's what he was, an opponent. Amaya grinned feeling adrenaline flood her veins. Here was the fight she'd been craving a day ago.

Zuko attacked first, gathering his fire before blasting it towards her. She twirled her staff and diffused it before shaping her hand precisely and sending a blast towards him in retaliation. He dodged and fired again, and Amaya danced out of the way, smiling as she sent a burst of wind along her staff. She ducked under it and swept his leg around, sending a wave of fire that she jumped over.

Then he was in close quarters and she jumped over his next attack before sliding under his kicking leg and reply with a burst of wind. He kicked the glider out of her hands and she was left to bob and weave around him, hands up and ready to attack. She ducked under his swiping fist and fired a jet up, redirecting his fire into the sky.

They both back away and swayed forwards, gathering their elements and turning to attack at the exact same moment. The blast blew them both up and back. Amaya landed hard on the roof, sharps of green clay tiles spraying around her and grunted in pain as the air hissed out of her lungs. From the slam across from her, she imagined that the same had happened to Zuko.

Dazedly, she opened her eyes and sat up, wincing as she placed a hand to her head. A snarl caught her attention and she looked up to see Zuko racing across the apex of the roof towards herm fire trailing from his pointed hands. She jumped up instinctively, arching up and over him in a roll until she landed on the top of the roof. She thanked any god that was listening for the fact that Airbenders had naturally good balance as she landed on one leg, arms positioned to aid her balance.

Zuko came at her again and she jumped up, swirling air around her to redirect any fire that might come her way. Zuko jumped as well, higher, and came down at her, forcing her onto her back curled on the roof, air swirling above her and diffusing the flames. She propelled herself to her feet with her hands and brought the heels of her pals together, fingers curled I a powerful two-handed attack. The concussive wave of air slammed Zuko back into a tower of the abbey. Amaya raced towards him with air trailing, just like her had come at her, but he slipped to the side, skidding down the sloped roof and onto the ground. Amaya jumped back as the shirshu leapt onto the roof, tongue lashing at her. She raced away along the building. She saw Appa firing blasts from his tail, a skill not many people knew air bison had, and thanked him as she leapt from the roof into a pit of dirty water, sliding under a small bridge and shooting out the other side, quickly Waterbending the filth away from her.

She dove behind a covered well as a fire blast came towards her, weaving around the sides as more and more blasts came from Zuko. She smiled slightly, again recalling her misadventures with the spinning gates as she put her lessons into action. She paused as she saw two charms dangle from Zuko's wrist, a blue carved circle and a heavy gold coin.

"You have some things that don't belong to you," she taunted.

"Come and take them then!" Zuko snarled, and she obliged, lunging across the well and supporting herself over it, curling into all sorts of positions in an effort to keep herself above the well and out of the path of his attacks.

Zuko blinked as he watched the Avatar contort around his attacks, gracefully arching against the posts. He remembered her delicate circles from earlier, the smooth movements as she slipped under and around him. With a growl he both mentally and physically brush her away, a leg shattering the wooden support struts holding up the roof of the well and depriving her of her supports. Since when did her admire the Avatar's fighting?

_Since she fought _for_ you_,_ not against you,_ said an insidious little voice in the back of his head that remembered her ingenuity, her determination to get the both out of Zhao's clutches.

Amaya shot into the air the moment the roof of the well was gone, over Zuko's predicted attack, and landed gracefully on the edge of the well, glad that it was reasonably wide as she stretched a leg across the hole and around Zuko's leg, sliding around him and under his punch and leaving them back to back. She quick stepped twice along the ledge and braced her shoulder against his for a moment. He shoved her away roughly and she was forced to spin on one leg, turning to face his back and planting her foot firmly on the stone. Zuko turned with his arm out to catch her in the face, but Amaya raised a blocking arm, wincing as the armored limb collided with hers. She looked up and found wide golden eyes inches from her hers.

Suddenly they were both stepping around and a around the edge of the well in a tangle of limbs, stretching around each other. Amaya spun, catching Zuko in the face with the end of her braid and distracting him long enough for her to get a firm footing again, gripping his arms to steady herself.

"_Now_ we're dancing," she said with a wolfish grin as he yanked his arms furiously, trying to get free. But Amaya clung tight, spinning and twirling, curling up tight against his chest at one point to keep her grip. She gave ground just a little on the hand with the necklaces wrapped around it. Zuko instinctively yanked his hand back, leaving them in Amaya's grip. She grinned and pulled her feet together, dropping into the water of the well with a blast of fire skimming the top of her head. She raised her hands and water exploded out of the top, shoving Zuko back. Amaya shot back up, pulling her necklace on as she went, and flipped once before landing on the ground. Fire shot over her head and she instinctively ducked, rotating to see Zuko on his feet and attacking. She leapt over his next attack. He moved forwards, seeking closer quarters, but Appa was suddenly in front of her and was backing Zuko away from his mistress.

"Appa," Amaya said worriedly as she watched him take two consecutive hits from the shirshu's tongue. Appa was a big animal; he could take a few hits, but not many. She winced as he hit the ground, the stone quaking under her, but soon realized she had bigger problems. She was pinned against a wall with Zuko on one side and the shirshu on the other. Zuko attacked and she spun along the wall, stopping inches from the paralytic tongue as it shot out. She dropped to the ground only to be forced to jump over a jet of flame. She had to dive to the side to avoid a lash from the tongue, and was forced to surround herself in a swirling orb of air to keep from flying directly into more fire. She couldn't keep this up for long…

Perfume washed over the shirshu and Zuko, the scents mixing and forming an altogether unpleasant odor. Amaya wrinkled her nose, but realized the genius of the plan as the shirshu began twitching and jerking its head. They saw with their noses. It was a sensory overload, the animal's mind wouldn't be able to cope and it would lash out wildly.

Amaya winced as the tongue began flying, but it never came near her as the shirshu bucked in a circle, throwing off his rider and accidently tagging her with a lick before managing to accidently strike one of the few areas not covered by Zuko's armor. He dropped to the floor with a cry of pain. Amaya went cautiously to his side. She felt like she owed him something after his rescue. It had been unprompted as far as she knew, and she wanted him to know he had done the right thing.

She knelt by his side, golden eyes watching her with anger and caution.

"Consider this a thanks for the rescue, Mr. Blue Spirit," she said with a smile. She reached into her sash and pulled out the vial of smelling salts she had made and slipped it into his hand. "Now we're even." Amaya hesitated. She'd never have a better chance…

Acting solely on instinct and some sort of mad urge, she leaned down and pecked him on the cheek, right where she had kissed the mask. Her lips brushed smooth scar tissue and she shivered. It felt strange, but not horrible.

She pulled away and looked at him. He could barely move his face it seemed, but he managed to get out, "Why?"

"The mask was in the way last time," she said with a wide grin. "I'll see you soon, I expect."

Amaya rose and jumped, landing by her glider. She jumped again and ended up seated on Appa's head, Katara and Sokka already situated in the saddle behind her. She gave the prince a jaunty wave and grinned.

"Yip yip!"

They took off, soaring away into the setting sun. They travelled silently for a while, before Amaya left the steering to Appa and turned around to talk to Katara and Sokka.

"So, do I need to drop you guys anywhere?" she asked, not quite sure where she stood with them.

"Yeah, the North Pole," Sokka grinned. "It would be great to see dad again."

"But you need a more. We're with you, Amaya," Katara smiled.

"Still, I'm sorry you had to give up that for me," Amaya said, hiding a smile.

"It's not a problem," Sokka said, waving her concerns away.

"Still, I wish I could give you a little trinket from your home. But I don't suppose you'd want this, would you?" Amaya giggled, holding out her hand and dangling Katara's lost necklace.

"Amaya, how did you get that?" Katara squealed, seizing it and clasping it around her neck.

"Zuko wanted to make sure you got it," Amaya grinned.

"Oh, that's sweet of him," Katara said with faux thankfulness, pressing a hand to her heart. "Give him a kiss for me next time you see him, will you?"

Amaya full on beamed. "Oh, I think I could definitely manage that."

She laughed wildly as Katara and Sokka stared at her in confusion, turning around and taking up the reins once more.

* * *

><p>"I saw that."<p>

"Saw what?" Zuko demanded, his back to his uncle who was lounging against the door to his room. The older man had a sly smile on his face.

"She kissed you," Iroh said bluntly. "And I heard her say something about thanks for a rescue."

"You must have been imagining things," Zuko said, clenching his fists as he turned to face the Fire Nation tapestry on his wall.

"Oh no, I don't think I was," Iroh chuckled. "Come Zuko, don't lie to me. I can see through it and you know it."

"Fine," Zuko snapped, whirling to face Iroh. "She's distracting me! Are you happy now?"

"She's distracting you from catching her?" Iroh said. "Hmm, and how is she managing that?"

"I don't know," Zuko muttered, running an agitated hand through what remained of his hair. "When I'm around her, I start to focus more on how she's fighting and the things she's said to me than capturing her."

Iroh looked genuinely. "Zuko, liking the girl isn't a crime. It'd be easier if you just came out and said it."

"I don't like her!" Zuko shouted. "She's nothing more than a thing, the key to my honor. I'll take her to my father and that will be the end."

"Oh, I doubt that," Iroh said. "This girl is a fighter, resourceful and cunning. You'll be chasing her for a long while before you actually catch her. Can you handle this for much longer?"

"Of course," Zuko said firmly. "I have to. For my honor."


	10. In Which Amaya Shakes her Groove Thang

"May I just say that there's something really weird about seeing your face on a wanted poster," Amaya sighed. "Are my eyes really that far apart?"

"You're eyes are fine," Katara soothed. "But we may want to scratch that Fire Days Festival plan."

"But Katara, how likely is it we'll just happen upon a Firebender how's willing to teach the Avatar how to Firebend?" Amaya reasoned. "This may be one of the only chances I'll have to observe a Firebender up close and learn some things."

"You could always stare at Zuko," Sokka suggested.

"Yes, because I wouldn't be fighting for my freedom at that point." Amaya's eyes flicked to the wanted poster for the Blue Spirit just below hers and she smiled a bit. Next to his poster was one for some old Fire Nation officer who deserted. Jang Jang or something.

"True," Katara admitted. "Okay, you're right Amaya."

"What?" Sokka demanded. "You want to walk ingot a Fire Nation town while they're all fired up with… with fire?"

"We could wear disguises," Katara suggested, getting into the plan now. "And if there's any trouble we'll leave!"

"Yeah, because that always works," Sokka grumbled, following Amaya and Katara as they took off towards the town.

Amaya smiled. She'd never been to a Fire Nation festival before, and she was reveling in the childish joy at dressing up. Before they had entered the town, they had paused to allow her time to work together a pair of orange gloves to cover the arrows on her hands. She had hidden her face with a cloak until they got to a vendor selling masks. Amaya had found one she liked and given her order to Katara, hastily placing it over her face and stripping off her cloak.

Her face was now covered by an orange mask that covered her entire face and shimmered softly in the firelight dancing everywhere. Little tongues of fire protruded and wrapped around her head a bit. She felt very Fire Nation-y.

"We should split up," Amaya suggested.

"Are you crazy?" Sokka demanded. "That's the worst thing me could to in this crowd!"

"Actually, it's not a horrible idea," Katara said thoughtfully. "Amaya could watch some Firebenders while you restock our food supply. I could go around and see if I hear anything from the locals."

"But what if one of us gets in trouble?" Sokka persisted. "How would we know?"

"Katara and I can make a sign with Waterbending, something visible from everywhere," Amaya said, nodding. "Knock out all the lights in a section of the town, or make a giant icicle. Something nice and visible."

"What about me?" Sokka asked. "I don't know if you've noticed, but the water doesn't really like me."

"Oh, I'm sure you can stir up a fuss somehow," Katara grinned teasingly.

"Fine," Sokka sighed, giving in. "Splitting up it is."

"We'll meet back at Appa at midnight, or when the festival ends," Amaya said. "Whichever comes first."

That said, they all went heir separate ways, Sokka following his nose, Katara following her ears, and Amaya following the crowd, hoping that they would all be going to some Firebending display. That seemed like it was probably one of the more exciting things to do.

And it would have been, had she followed anyone but a group of giggly girls her age. She had thought she would blend in better if she hung near people she looked like she would fit with. However, they lead her to a large dance floor and started giggling in the corner.

Amaya rolled her eyes, turning to go, when a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Can I have this dance?" asked a nervous voice from behind a mask shaped like a fire ferret. Amaya froze. What should she do? Would it make more of a stir to stay or go? She had a job to do, and it wasn't dancing. But… could one dance really hurt? The boy seemed absolutely terrified to ask her.

Amaya's pity for the boy's effort won out and she nodded slowly, allowing herself to be steered onto the dance floor.

* * *

><p>Zuko wondered how much trouble he would be in if he murdered his uncle. Dragging him to a Fire Days festival? Who cared if the Avatar was going this direction, there was no possible way she was dumb enough to march right into a Fire Nation town. Then again, she was just gutsy enough that she might try it.<p>

Still, dancing?

He was forced to sit here and play escort while his uncle paraded about various older ladies, sweeping them across the dance floor. It made him vaguely ill, and the looks he was getting from a group of particularly giggly girls weren't helping matters.

Zuko sighed angrily, striding across the dance floor and ignoring the dirty looks he got from various couples. Who cared if their stupid starry-eyed looks got interrupted, this was ridiculous. He was grabbing his uncle and they were going off to search for the Avatar, forget the holiday.

Almost as if his thoughts had conjured her up, a girl was twirled away from her partner at the end of the song and slammed into his chest.

"Sorry," she muttered, looking up at him, and she froze. So did he. Gold met silver and they recognized each other instantly. "Oh, Tui and La take me now," the Avatar sighed.

Amaya had been twirled, dipped, and shimmied across the dance floor time and time again, and she was thoroughly sick of it. Every time a song ended and she made a break to get away from the dance floor she would be swept up by another dance partner and the cycle would begin all over again.

She thought she had finally managed to get away when, close to the edge of the dance floor, her partner twirled her out and lost his grip right at the end of the song. No surprise, his hands were so sweaty… But her plans had been thwarted when she had twirled right into a hard chest.

"Sorry," she mumbled, glancing up to see who she had bumped into and praying they wouldn't want to dance. Gold eyes, scarred cheek, no mask in sight.

_Zuko._

"Oh, Tui and La take me now," she sighed. "I knew you'd pop up sooner or later, but I didn't think it'd be here!"

"You," Zuko growled, wrapping a hot hand around her wrists and pulling them to his chest.

"You don't want to make a stir, do you?" Amaya tried. "Come on, let me go willingly just this once. You don't want to injure citizens do you? I won't come quietly."

"Not a chance," he said, a small, smug smile on his face. "I've got you now and I'm not letting you go."

"You know, in a different situation that could be really romantic," Amaya mused absently, before blurting, "A dance then. Dance with me and I'll come quietly." Not at all true. But it would buy her time to think of an escape plan.

Zuko thought about it for a moment. If a dance was all it would take to ensure the Avatar's compliance, then who was he to question his good luck? Then again, that seemed a silly last request. But she _was_ a girl. A girl who had kissed him, kissed his scar, and not recoiled in disgust.

"One dance, Avatar," he agreed slowly, suspiciously. The Avatar smiled up at him and grinned, adjusting his grip so that he was holding her hand instead of her wrist.

"I'm going to need that other hand," she said drily. He released it slowly and she placed it lightly on his shoulder, straightening. His free hand wavered, unwilling to let her get too free. She rolled her eyes, the only part of her face he could see, and seized his wrist, pulling it onto her waist.

"Now come on prince, show me how it's done," she teased, a challenge glinting in her eye. Zuko took it willingly, perfectly content to let this be part of the payback for all the confusion she'd pushed on him. He tightened his grip on her and twirled her quickly, slipping through the smallest of gaps between couples with all the grace and refinement expected of a prince. The Avatar was left staggering to keep up, her footwork horrible. He dipped her and then snapped her back up and she gasped in surprise.

"You little…" Amaya muttered. "Fine, let's see how you take to an Air Nomad dance." She rearranged her feet before leaning back sharply, her back arching fluidly. Her movements were liquid now that she knew the steps and she dragged Zuko along in a series of complex circles. This time he was the one struggling to keep up, and Amaya was laughing.

"How does this help you, Avatar?" Zuko asked suddenly. Amaya shrugged.

"It doesn't, but I'm having fun. You? You look a little green around the gills."

"Why do Airbenders spin so much?" Zuko growled under his breath, but she heard.

"That's like asking why Waterbenders sway so much or why Earthbenders stomp so much," she explained. "It's just how the world works. But you didn't answer my question."

"It's tolerable," he said stiffly.

"Oh, really? It sounds like saying that hurt," she teased. "The evil Avatar is _tolerable_, stop the presses."

"Don't push me, Avatar."

"Amaya," she said bluntly. "My name is Amaya. Use it. And maybe I'll start calling you Zuko instead of angry princey boy like in my head."

In her head. Zuko remembered his dream, the very first he had had, where she was in the Air Temple. She had kissed his scar then too, and now in real life.

"Why?" he blurted.

"Gonna need more than that," she chirped. "There's a lot of questions in the world that start with why."

"Why did you kiss me?"

"Did you not enjoy it?"

"Answer the question!"

"Because…." He saw her hesitate before she sighed. "I wanted to. And this time, there wasn't a mask in the way," she added with a grin, before her expression turned contemplative. "And besides, _I know you I walked with you once upon a dream."_ She finished the lyrics just as the song ended. Her eyes lit with a teasing fire. "Bye bye, Zuko," she said, before twirling away. He reached out to snatch her before she disappeared into the crowd, but all he managed to get was one of the protruding edges of her mask. It came off in his hands and her tattoos were revealed to the world. The response was instantaneous.

"Guards, guards!"

"The Avatar, it's the Avatar!"

"Mommy, the colorful lady has an arrow on her face!"

In the wild press, Zuko was shoved back against a building, still holding the mask. He watched the Avatar jump over a building, and then she was gone. He stared down at the mask in his hands and remembered the little bit of a song. Dreams… Was it possible she was having them too? Strange, outlandish dreams of them together that were completely beyond the realm of possibility.

No, that's silly, he assured himself, but part of him still wondered. He didn't realize until he and Iroh got back to the ship that he was still holding her mask. Iroh hadn't asked, but suddenly the knowing look in his eye made a lot more sense.

* * *

><p>"What happened?" Sokka demanded as they all met beside Appa.<p>

"Zuko showed up," Amaya said. "Sorry Katara, didn't give him that kiss like you wanted."

"I'll get over it," she said drily, before her expression shifted to one of worry. "If Zuko's here, that means his soldiers must be too."

"I don't think so," Amaya said, shaking her head. "I only saw him and his uncle."

"Where did you see him?" Sokka asked.

" Er, dance floor," she said awkwardly.

"Dance floor?" Sokka gaped. "You said you were going to try and find someone to watch! And you go out dancing?"

"I didn't mean to!" Amaya snapped. "I just sort of stumbled into it, and some guy asked me to dance! I figured one dance couldn't hurt, but when I tried to leave I kept getting grabbed. Then Zuko showed up and I asked him to dance, and-

"Whoa whoa whoa," Sokka said, holding up his hands. "Wait right there. You asked Zuko to dance?"

"Little bit," Amaya admitted sheepishly. "He had a hold of me before I realized it was him and I was trying to buy some time to plan my get away."

"I was going to help with that, but you got out on your own," said a voice. The three teens whirled to face a man who had just stepped from the shadows. He wore a ragged travelling cloak and his brown hair was mussed. He had a tough, leathery face, but it was softened by a small smile and a cheerful light in his eyes.

"How did you find us?" Sokka demanded, pulling out his boomerang as Katara and Amaya sank into bending stances.

"Hold on, I'm not here to hurt you," her said, holding up his hands in a gesture of peace. "My name is Chey. I wanted to talk to the Avatar."

"Talk," Amaya ordered. "We'll just stay like this if you don't mind."

Chey shrugged. "Okay, I guess. You see, I've been following you since I saw you land."

Amaya sent a wave of air over his head with a spinning kick. "Not a great way to start your explanation. Now, tell me why I shouldn't aim the next one a bit lower."

"I serve a man!" Chey began grandly, his eyes sparkling with admiration. "No, he's more than a man, he's a living legend! Jeong Jeong the deserter! He's a Firebending genius, truly enlightened! Some people think he's crazy but he's not. He was the first man to get away from the Fire Nation army and live. I was the second, but I was just a corporal. He was a General!"

"He was an Admiral," Amaya corrected, standing up straight.

"Amaya?" Katara questioned, looking at her in confusion. "How do you know about him?"

"I saw his wanted poster next to mine," she said. "I didn't really pay much attention at the time, but it was about an admiral who deserted named Jeong Jeong. Alright Chey, I'm willing to go out on a limb and trust you. What do you want?"

"Wait, Amaya, are you crazy?" Sokka demanded. "He's Fire Nation!"

"So was Shiyu," Katara pointed out. "And he was okay."

Sokka opened his mouth to protest, but sighed in acquiescence. "Fine."

"So this Jeong Jeong has no loyalty to the Fire Nation, and he's a great Firebender," Amaya mused. "Say, Chey, I don't suppose he'd be willing to train me would he?"

"Well that's why I came!" Chey said, nodding eagerly. "I'm sure he would if you asked!"

"Wait, Amaya, what do we really know about this Jeong Jeong guy?" Sokka demanded.

"That he's a master Firebender who hates the Fire Nation," Amaya sighed. "And that's all I need."

Just men, men dropped from all around the trees, pointing spears at them.

"Don't move," growled one man.

"And apparently he has thugs," Amaya added when they were being marched down a forest path by the men. Chey was in front, jabbering about how great Jeong Jeong was, and some 'old buddy' that didn't seem to like him all that much.

"He'll see only you," the 'old buddy' said, poking Chey in the back with his weapon and gesturing towards a hut on the riverbank.

"Oh, no, really, we can just talk in the morning," Chey said nervously, turning to leave.

"Is that where Jeong Jeong is?" Amaya asked eagerly. "I need to talk to him!" She took a step forwards only to be blocked by a spear.

"Later, if at all," the man said as Chey walked down towards the hut. "We'll shelter you for the night, but that's all."

"At least we got a room out of the deal," Katara said later as Amaya sat leaning glumly against the wall of her hut.

"I have to talk to him, Katara," Amaya said. "I don't have a choice. What better chance am I going to have to learn Firebending?"

"You don't know that he'll say no yet," Katara said encouragingly.

"You heard how those guys were talking. I'm not holding my breath for an invite to tea."

"Jeong Jeong refuses to see you."

"What'd I tell you?" Amaya said, falling backwards onto the pallet while Katara shot an annoyed look at Chey. "Why won't he?"

"He says you aren't ready."

Amaya sat up, eyes flashing angrily. "Excuse me?"

"You haven't mastered Waterbending or Earthbending yet."

"And how would he know that?" Amaya demanded.

"He saw you walk into camp. He _knows._"

"Screw that," Amaya snapped, rising to her feet angrily. "I'm not going to let some old geezer who _thinks_ he knows me without even talking to me be the one to tell me what I am and am not ready for!"

"Amaya, maybe you shouldn't," Sokka began, sitting up.

"I'm going to see him," Amaya said, stomping out of the hut. She ignored the worried glances Katara and Sokka gave each other and strode down the path to the waterfront hut, stepping confidently onto the tiny island and walking inside without knocking.

It wasn't what she had expected. She had thought it might be some like some sort of war museum, extolling Jeong Jeong's days in the army, with armor and weapons displayed around. Or maybe a modest bunk like a soldier would be used to. She had wondered if maybe there was a Fire Nation banner being used as a dart board, or something like that. She expected a well-groomed man wearing non-Fire Nation colors and possibly leaning over a map like he was planning a strategy for attack.

What she definitely wasn't expecting was a man with wild, unkempt white hair sticking out like he'd just been hit by lightning, garbed in drab shades of red and black, sitting in the middle of a circle of candles and meditating.

"Get. Out."

"No," Amaya said softly, struck by the solemnity of the scene, even though it was a bit unexpected. She crossed the room and sat down outside the circle of candles. "Master Jeong Jeong, I have to learn Firebending. I know you think I'm not ready, but I am, I have to be, it's my destiny to-"

"Destiny?" Jeong Jeong snapped, head jerking. "What does a little girl know of destiny? If a fish lives in this river its whole life does it know the river's destiny? No! Just that it flows on and on. He cannot see the end, he cannot imagine the ocean."

Amaya got know why people thought he was insane. He seemed to be. Maybe just a little.

"I like to think I'm a little more intelligent than a fish," she said drily. "I'm the Avatar, it's my duty to master all the bending disciplines."

"To master the bending disciplines, you must master discipline first, something you obviously lack! You came in here with your energy flying everywhere, angry and uncontrolled. Fire will not obey someone like that! But you aren't interested in any of this, so I'm not interested in you! Get out!"

"Please sir," Amaya stressed, although his last comment hurt a bit. "I need to learn this, and it may be my only chance!"

"Are you deaf?" Jeong Jeong demanded, whirling to face her for the first time. She was surprised to see a swarthy face with a crooked nose, most probably broken, and two thin scars on his right eye. He had a thin, stern mouth that was currently yelling, "How can I teach you if you won't listen? You must first master Waterbending and Earthbending! Water is cool and soothing, earth is steady and stable. Fire is alive! It breathes! Without a bender, a rock will not throw itself! But fire will spread if one does not have the will to control it! _That_ is its destiny! _You are too weak!"_

The flames of the candles roared into the sky, swirling and gathering into a fiery figure. Amaya was just able to make out Roku's long red robe and his topknot, as well as Jeong Jeong staring at it with emotions flickering across his face faster than she could name them, before the image was gone and the candles went back to normal.

"Yes, I will teach her," Jeong Jeong murmured tiredly, his head bowed.

_Thank you Roku._

* * *

><p>"Widen your stance! Wider! Now bend your knees! More! Concentrate!"<p>

_Roku, if you were alive, I'd kill you for getting me into this._

"What am I supposed to concentrate on?" Amaya demanded.

"The sun is the ultimate source of fire, yet it remains in balance with nature. _Feel_ its heat on you!" With that, Jeong Jeong turned and walked away, leaving Amaya standing on a rock blinking like an idiot.

"Hey, hold on!" Amaya demanded.

"Stop talking!" Jeong Jeong snapped. "Talking is not concentrating! Look at your friend, is she talking? Even that oaf knows to concentrate!"

Amaya looked at Katara and Sokka, who was protesting at his new nickname, before muttering, "Teacher's pets," and Jeong Jeong stomped off again. Katara and Sokka were giggling madly behind her. She turned and gave them a hard look.

"You would burst into tears after a day of Airbender training, I promise you," she mumbled, before turning back around and holding her stance, trying to do as Jeong Jeong asked and _feel_ the sun.

Amazingly enough, it was fairly easy. She could feel it on her back, the heat soaking on her clothes. Now that she concentrated on it, the soft warmth against her skin seemed far more intimate, and it made her shiver as more sunlight played across her eyelids. Soon though, she got used to the sensation and soon felt her muscles uncoil soothed by the gentle light of the sun. Amaya felt calm, at peace, which was a sharp contrast to the danger Jeong Jeong had stressed came with dealing with fire. It was almost better than some of the monks meditation rituals.

Soon enough though, Jeong Jeong came back and pulled her out of her trance. He had seemed a bit surprised at first to see her still standing there. It was almost as if he expected her to ditch and go play in the water with Katara or fish with Sokka. But his usual stony expression was immediately back in place and he barked, "Enough. Come with me."

She followed after him, keeping up a constant stream of chatter as he lead her up the side of a mountain, hoping she could find out wither more about what Jeong Jeong had planned for her or more about the man himself.

"So, Jeong Jeong, did you ever wish you could bend something besides fire? Before I knew I was the Avatar, I always thought it would be pretty cool to be an Earthbender. I guess that's sort of funny right, since air and earth are complete opposites? The other kids told me I was weird for thinking that. Did you ever get teased?"

"Quiet," jeong Jeong snapped as they reached the top of the mountain. He turned and looked out over the valley. "Assume your stance."

Amaya sighed, but sank into the stance he'd taught her.

"Wider!"

She blinked. "It's like he knows…."

"Wider!"

"Widening," Amaya yelped, widening her stance.

"Power in Firebending comes from the breath."

"I'd always heard that, but I-"

"In through the nose and out through the mouth!" Jeong Jeong ordered. "No talking!"

He wandered away again and Amaya sighed. So Jeong Jeong wasn't a very hands-on teacher, she could live with that. She'd always learned better when left to her own devices anyway.

Still though, squatting and breathing? That was what he had for her? It was almost like being back at the Air Temple. Sure, she had meditated, she did it often to calm down after a long, bad day or to prepare herself mentally before a test. But this was different, there was no point to it. It was just squatting and breathing!

Still she did as he asked, she sat there and squatted and breathed until she was going crazy from not doing anything else. She had no idea what Jeong Jeong was wanting from her, and he refused to speak to her for any reason other than to bark orders or tell her what a horrible person she was. If she was going to do this, she was going to have to know _why._

Mouth twitching irritably, Amaya strode back into camp as the sun began to lower in the sky, a full five hours after she had started. Five hours of breathing, and for what, she didn't know. But she was about to find out, so help her!

"Why are you here?" Jeong Jeong shouted angrily when she walked into his hut. "I didn't tell you to stop!"

"I've been breathing for five straight hours!"

"You want to stop breathing?" He sent the barb towards her mockingly.

"I _want_ you to stop asking like a freaking _mystic_ and tell me what I'm supposed to be _getting_ from all this! I've been squatting and breathing and feeling the sun since I was born. Okay, maybe not the squatting," she admitted. "But I want to know why you've got me doing all these things that seem _pointless._"

Jeong Jeong sighed wearily. "I had a student once who had no interest in discipline. He was only concerned with the power of fire, how he could use it to destroy his opponents and wipe out the obstacles in his path. Fire is a horrible burden. Its nature is to consume, and it destroys everything around it without proper control. Learn restraint, or risk destroying yourself and everything you love."

"See?" Amaya said softly. "That's all I needed to know. You want me to learn discipline. Thank you, master. I'll be more patient." With that, she got up and walked out of the hut, missing Jeong Jeong's surprised look.

When Jeong Jeong emerged from his hut at sunset, he found Amaya on the same rock she had been that morning, her stance wide and her breathing even.

"We will work with fire now."

Her eyes snapped open and she grinned widely. "Really? Awesome!"

Jeong Jeong raised an eyebrow. "I mean, whatever you think I'm ready for."

The old man snatched a falling leaf from the air between two fingers, smoke trailing from his hand as he brought it to her. "Keep the fire from reaching the edges of the leaf for as long as you can."

Amaya had to stifle a groan as she took the leaf. She had accepting he wanted her to be disciplined, and she got the importance, but that didn't mean she was any more thrilled with his teaching methods.

"Master, there's trouble!" said one of Jeong Jeong's men, racing up to them.

"Trouble?" Amaya asked, raising her head, anticipating news the Zuko had shown up.

"Concentrate on your leaf," Jeng Jeong ordered as he ran away after the man.

"Stupid leaf," she grumbled.

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Katara soothed.

"All he does is leave me alone to squat and breathe. I can do so much more, I know it!"

Amaya's eyes widened and she glanced nervously in the direction Jeong Jeong had run off in. It couldn't hurt, just a small test to see what she was capable of… She widened her stance and breathed like Jeong Jeong had taught her, focusing on the heat of the sun and the heat coming from the fiery hole in the leaf. She concentrated on both and let them build inside her before pulling it out into the physical world. She opened her eyes and saw that the leaf was gone, but there was a small fireball in her hands.

"I did it!" she said joyously, proud of herself.

"That's great Amaya," Katara congratulated. "But don't get too carried away."

"It's okay, I just want to try something real fast and then I'll keep going with my leaf," Amaya assured her. She took a step back, aiming to usual teasing pose with a hand on her cocked hips, but her foot slipped off the rock and she fell backwards into the water, the fire flying wildly from her hand in response to her instinctive panic.

Amaya broke the surface coughing and heard a strange sobbing sound, confused, she looked around and saw Katara crouched on the ground, sobbing over her hands. They were red, the skin cracked and a bit bloody in places. Amaya felt sick, immediately grasping what had happened. She floundered out of the water, apologizing in a constant stream.

"Oh Katara, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I just wanted to… Oh god, your hands, I… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Sokka slammed into her from the side, taking her to the ground. Amaya curled up on the ground, staring at Katara with worry and a plea for forgiveness in her eyes.

"You burned my sister!" Sokka yelled in her face. "I told you you shouldn't mess around, and look what happened!"

"I'm sorry!" Amaya yelled. "Katara, please, I-"

But Katara was already gone, fleeing from the riverside into the trees clutching her hands to her stomach protectively.

"You burned my sister!" Sokka yelled again, getting off of her and standing. He looked up suddenly, pointing damningly. "You, this is all your fault!"

Amaya rolled onto her stomach and looked up, horrified to see Jeong Jeong standing there. Oh god, if he looked at her the way Sokka was looking at her, she was pretty sure she'd die. Despite her displeasure at his teaching methods, she admired the man, respecting his knowledge and his ideals of discipline. It was a moment of childish rebellion that had done this, something Amaya should have known better than to pull, nothing more.

"I know," Jeong Jeong said, hanging his head. "You must pack your things at once and go."

"Sokka, I'm sorry, I-"

Sokka didn't even look at her as he walked away. Jeong Jeong came to her side and Amaya looked up at him, eyes swimming with tears.

"Jeong Jeong, please," she whimpered. She didn't know what she wanted, for the old man to tell her Katara would be okay, for him to give her some grand, life-altering speech, for him to simply tell her they wouldn't hate her.

But he did none of that. He just turned away and walked into the forest after Katara.

Amaya sought the nearest shelter she could find, Jeong Jeong's hut. The candles were still lit, but instead of the air of solemnity she'd observed the first time she came in, the candles only mocked her.

She sat there, her thoughts spinning. She could blame no one for herself. This was a price for her stupid, stupid pride. She'd thought Jeong Jeong was holding her back, that she was good enough to do more. In reality, she was a petulant child who threw a hissy fit because she didn't get what she wanted, and her best friend, her _sister_, was caught in the crossfire. Sokka was right to shun her, she deserved every bit of it.

She glared hatefully at the candle flames. It was fire that had done this, destructive, wicked fire. She would never touch it, never bend it again, she swore that to herself. It was as Jeong Jeong had said, it consumed everything in its path until nothing was left, and it didn't care what it left in its wake. Fire disgusted her. The heat that had seemed so soothing earlier in the day was now oppressive and fierce.

She heard footsteps and knew they were Katara's from the soft, feminine sound and the slight squeak of the leather of her boots.

"Never again," she vowed aloud. "I'll never bend it again."

"You'll have to eventually," Katara replied softly.

"No!" Amaya roared, before dropping to a whisper. "Never."

"It's alright Amaya, I'm healed."

Amaya whirled in her seat to stare at Katara's hands. It was hard to see in the dim light, but she could see that the burns were completely gone, not a trace of red, puckered skin.

"How?" Amaya asked, wide-eyed.

"I'll explain later, we've got to go," Katara insisted. "Zhao and his men are here."

"Where?"

Down by the river, they've captured Jeong Jeong, and we've-"

"I've got to help him!" Amaya said, jumping over the candles and dashing from the room. She raced through the trees and down to the riverside, kicking up a trail of dust in her wake. She arrived to see Jeong Jeong facing Zhao, a few soldiers standing behind their ranking officer.

"Jeong Jeong!" she called worriedly.

"Men, take the deserter," Zhao ordered, turning to give Amaya a sinister smile.

"Men, back off the deserter," Amaya snarled in response. She came in low and hard, dropping to the ground and dragging her leg in an arc, sending a wave of air at the soldiers, intending to take them in the ankles and knock them over. These soldiers were smarter than the one's she'd faced before though, half of them jumped over the wave. Jeong Jeong raised his hands and was enveloped in a ball of fire that quickly expanded and then dissipated, leaving only empty space behind.

"It's a trick!" Zhao yelled. "He's run off into the woods! Find him! Now," he turned to Amaya as the soldiers ran off into the woods. "Let's see what my old master taught you."

Amaya blinked in surprise. "You were Jeong Jeong's student?"

"Until I got bored," Zhao shrugged, and attacked. Amaya jumped into the air and pirouetted away, sliding all the way around the next attack. "I see he taught you how to dodge and hide like a coward." He attacked again and Amaya balanced on one finger on the ground, body parallel and legs spread in a full split.

"I see he didn't teach you how to aim," she taunted back, and then flipped over his next attack. Suddenly it clicked in her mind.

"_I had a student once who had no interest in discipline. He was only concerned with the power of fire, how he could use it to destroy his opponents and wipe out the obstacles in his path."_

She grinned, now confident the ball was in her court since she knew Zhao's fatal flaw. No self-control.

"Are you done yet? I have to meditate in a few minutes, and I think that'd be more exciting."

"I'll give you exciting," Zhao snarled, firing a continuous sequence of blasts as Amaya cart-wheeled out of the way, dragging his aim behind her towards his ships.

"Are you sure they said admiral and not abominable?" she called, jumping onto the bridge of one boat. "I know how hard big words can be for some people."

Zhao lunged, hopping onto the deck and firing at her. In his anger, his aim was wild, the flames going everywhere and latching onto the timbers of the deck and walls. One down, three to go, Amaya thought cheerfully as she leapt to the next boat.

"Sloppy form, I'd give it a zero out of ten."

Zhao was beyond reason with that last remark, coming after her with a flurry of punches and blasts. Amaya leapt from boat to boat, diving through windows and leading Zhao all over the boats to ensure he have them completely aflame. She ducked behind the captain's quarters of the last ship, smiling to herself. She took a step out and suddenly Zhao jumped frmot he roof and landed in front of her.

"Nowhere to run," he snarled, throwing a punch that Amaya gracefully flipped over, landing on the stern.

"I don't have to run," she said smugly. "I've already won."

Zhao blinked, obviously not expecting that. "You haven't thrown a single punch, you smart-alecky brat!"

"Smart aleck I am, stupid I'm not," she smiled. "I didn't have to throw a punch. You did that for me." She gestured to the ships going up in flames around them, one already sunk up to its middle in the river. "That was the butt-kicking special, do you want cabbage with that? I know a guy in Omashu."

Amaya dove under the fire blast and into the water, holding her breath and swimming underwater to where Sokka and Katara waited with Appa and Momo.

"Amaya, come on!" Sokka called. She jumped and landed on Appa's head.

"Wait, what about Jeong Jeong?" she asked, pausing before she flicked the reins.

"He disappeared, they all did," Sokka explained. Amaya nodded. He was a deserter, used to being on the run. Jeong Jeong no doubt had a million escape routes planned out in case of discovery. He'd be fine.

"Yip yip!" she called, and Appa rose into the sky.

It was easy to forget what she had done swept up in the ehat of battle, but up in the sky with no one but Sokka and Katara for company, the memory came back hard and fast. Amaya was afraid to talk, to move, to even breathe loudly for fear of upsetting either sibling.

"Amaya, you're burned," Katara said softly, pulling her into the saddle. Amaya looked down at her arm and blinked in surprise. She hadn't even noticed… "Here."

Katara pulled the stopper off of her water skein and pulled the water out, covering hand in the liquid before laying it over the wound. The water glowed, circling Amaya's arm as Katara pulled her hand back before dripping away, leaving smooth, unblemished skin.

"Wow," she blinked. "When'd you learn to do that?"

"I guess I always knew," Katara shrugged.

"Oh, thanks for all that medical assistance over the years," Sokka said, rolling his eyes. "Like the time I had two fishhooks in my thumb, or when the minksnake bit me, or when…."

Amaya and Katara just stared at each other, holding a private conversation.

_Forgive me?_

_Sure. What are friends for?_

_Thanks Katara. _


	11. In Which Rotten Eggs are Used Viciously

"Do you really think we'll find Airbenders?" Katara wondered.

"Do you want the good friend answer or the truth?" Sokka deadpanned. Katara frowned at him.

"I can't believe it!" Amaya said, practically bouncing up and down on Appa. "If my people are still alive, then I'm not alone!"

"You're not alone right now," Katara said, sounding mildly hurt.

"You know what I mean," Amaya sighed, then perked up as the clouds cleared. The Northern Air Temple came into view, shapes slipping through the air around the building.

"They really are Airbenders!" Katara said, leaning forwards. "Amaya, look!"

"At what?" she demanded, slumping back against Appa. "A bunch of fakes?"

"A bunch of fakes?" Sokka said incredulously. "Amaya, you can't fake flying, and that's flying."

"That's gliding, if anything," she sneered. "They're not Airbenders. They don't have a spirit, you can tell by the way they move."

One of the shapes dive-bombed them, a boy's laughing voice coming with it. Amaya rolled her eyes and glared at the glider as it moved past them.

"He seemed spirited enough to me," Sokka pointed out.

"You don't understand," Amaya said angrily, standing up and seizing her glider. "And they don't either." She opened her glider and took off into the air, trailing the glider that had attacked them. She followed his movements precisely, doing exactly what he did.

"Come on Teo, show that girl how it's done!" called a voice from the ground.

"You're pretty good," the boy, Teo, told her.

"I know," Amaya said proudly. "But unlike you, I can do more than a few gliding tricks."

She pulled over a wall and jumped off her glider, running along it before hopping onto an air scooter. She shuttled across the wall until it came to the end. She jumped off and freefell for a moment before grabbing onto her glider.

"Wow!" Teo said. "That's pretty good. Check this out!"

He took off, looping in the air with smoke trailing from his glider. Amaya snarled as a life-sized smoke drawing of her face appeared in the sky. Angrily, she ripped through it before reaching out towards the clouds and reforming them into a likeness of Momo standing on Appa, down to Momo's big eyes and Appa's arrow.

The boy came down then and she followed, landing next to Katara and Sokka and scowling. People converged around Teo, lifting the glider free of his chair and taking his goggles away for him. He rolled over to them, smiling widely.

"You're really good!" he congratulated, before seeing the arrow on her forehead. "Oh, wow! You're a real Airbender! That means… you're the Avatar! I've heard stories about you."

"Yeah," Amaya said sheepishly.

"That glider chair is awesome!" Sokka said, coming forwards.

"Wait til you see the other things my dad's made," Teo smiled. "Come on." He gestured for them to follow him as he rolled inside.

Amaya stared around. Holes in the wall, pipes fitted through them. Gauges turned where there should have been centuries old vases. Valves protruded from likenesses of monks gone by. Those statues had been placed here to honor those monks, and… Amaya scowled. And now they were _in the way_, apparently. Her fists clenched as she saw a statue of Hua Ha Hee, who had invented the glider, a huge hole his chest with a pipe protruding lewdly.

"This place is unbelievable," she murmured angrily.

"I know, it's great isn't it?" Teo said cheerfully.

"Not the word I would use," she said sharply, walking away to stand in front of a mural, listening to Katara while her hands shook.

"Amaya used to come here a long time ago, I'm sure she's just surprised it's so… different."

"So better!" Sokka beamed. Katara walked over to Amaya, looking up at the mural that might once have glowed with life, but was now worn away and poked through with pipes.

"This is supposed to be the history of my people," Amaya said softly. "It was painted by one of our best artisans two centuries before my time. It was famous. Airbenders used to come from all over to see it."

Katara placed a soothing hand on Amaya's shoulder, but she shrugged it away and walked over to a pool of what might once have been water, but was now green sludge, the copper statue above it greened and dented. Smoke belched out of the mouth and Amaya recoiled in disgust, tears pricking her eyes.

"This was a place of meditation, or prayer," she whispered harshly.

"I'm sure some places are still the same," Katara assured her.

"They better be," Amaya said, eyes flashing angrily. Katara would swear she saw lightning crackling in their stormy grey depths. "Or you'd better get these people as far away from here as possible, because I won't be responsible for what I do to this travesty," she said darkly. Katara looked after her nervously as they followed Sokka and Teo out of the room. She had never seen Amaya so angry, and she could sort of understand why. Artwork and places her people had considered special and holy was desecrated. But she seemed to be taking this a little personally, more so that Katara had ever thought she would. It was like Teo's father had just tried to kill Appa or something, the way Amaya was acting.

Teo lead them across a bridge to a multi-leveled courtyard where carvings of monks and Air Nomad symbols adorned the delicate archways.

"It's nice to see some parts of the temple haven't changed," Amaya said, seemingly placated, although there was still an underlying anger in the tenseness of her shoulders.

"Get out of the way!"

A rock smashed through the wall, sending stone flying and raising a cloud of dust. When the particles settled, they could see a man with barely any eyebrows and a white apron standing in front of a wrecking ball, a crowd of people around him. However, you could see it through a brand new hole in the wall.

"What the doodle?" the man demanded, climbing into the courtyard over the rubble. "Don't you know to stay away from a construction site? This is the place for the new bathhouse!"

"Katara," Amaya growled when the girl put a hand on her arm. "Don't touch me. I already hurt you once, I don't want to accidentally do it again." Katara withdrew her hand and Amaya stalked forwards.

"Do you know what you just did, you _idiot?_" she shrieked, coming at the man in the white apron. "_Screw _your bathhouse, you just destroyed a courtyard that was considered _sacred!_ This is a holy place, _do you understand that?_ Earthbenders were brought up here to carve these walls, one of the _only_ times an outsider got up here. And you just destroyed it for a _bathhouse!_"

"Well, people here are starting to smell," the inventor explained. Amaya's eyes and tattoos flashed warningly.

"Amaya was here when the temple was still occupied, she knows how it's supposed to look," Katara said apologetically, rushing forwards.

"But you're fifteen!" the inventor blinked, cocking his head.

"Dad," Teo hissed. "She's the Avatar."

"Oh!"

"Who said you could be here?" Amaya demanded, swinging her glider wildly.

"Well, a long time ago, not a hundred year, but still a while ago now, my people became refuges after a terrible flood. Teo lost his mother, and I needed a place to rebuild," the man explained. "Then I stumbled upon this place! I couldn't believe it, pictures of flying men everywhere, but no one in sight! Then I found these little flying contraptions-"

"Gliders," Amaya hissed.

"Yes! Little light flying machines, and they gave me an idea! A new life for my son in the air, so everyone would be on equal ground… so to speak. Oh my, is that the time! We must oil the pulley system before dark!"

"Wait, wait," Sokka said, stalking over to the candle Teo's father had consulted. "How do you know what time it is, the notches all look the same."

"Watch!" the man smiled.

Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop.

"You put spark powder in the candle!"

"Right! Four flashes, so it's four hours past midday! Or, four o'candle."

Sokka laughed.

"If you like that, you should see my finger-safe knife sharpener." The man popped three wooden fingers off a wooden contraption affixed to his hand. "Only took me three tries to get it right." He tossed the digits to Sokka, who yelled.

"Hey Amaya, I want to show you something," Teo said, rolling over.

"Be careful what it is," Amaya snapped, then sighed. "Fine."

Teo rolled off in a different direction, Amaya and Katara following, Amaya looking around somberly at all the metal pipes and valves and gauges that had no business here.

"I just can't believe how much has changed," she said somberly.

"The building may have changed, but the creatures are still the same," Teo said, pausing and scooping up a black and white hermit crab and placing it in Katara's hands. "These are probably direct descendants of the animals that were here in your day."

"They're like keepers of the temple's origins," Katara said with a small smile, watching as the crab scuttled around. She handed the crab to Amaya, who smiled as well when it scampered up her arm.

"Here," Teo said, pausing in front of a door.

"It's just like to door at the other Air Temple!" Katara grinned.

"Only an Airbender can open it," Teo said. "I tried getting in, but I couldn't. I've always wondered what's inside."

"Amaya?" Katara said, wondering if she would open the door and show Teo what was inside. Amaya turned her face away.

"This is the last part of the temple that's the way it should be, and it's going to stay that way," Amaya said.

"I understand," Teo nodded.

* * *

><p>Amaya was grinning like an idiot. Okay, she didn't particularly like the fact that people were stealing the Airbender's secrets, but she had always wished Katara and Sokka would be able to see what really flying was like, not like on Appa where it wasn't you doing the riding. This was technically gliding, but it was close enough.<p>

Katara was perched on the edge of a drop-off, a glider gripped tightly in her gloved hands and looking down nervously.

"The wind will carry you," Teo explained. "It supports something inside of you that's lighter than air, and that's what makes you fly."

Katara put down the glider, looking at all the gliding shapes nervously. "I don't think I want to do this anymore. I'm something-deficient, I know it."

"Impossible!" Teo laughed. "Everybody has it."

"Spirit," Amaya muttered.

"What?" he asked.

"Spirit," she said louder. "That's what you're talking about. The something. It's spirit."

"I guess os," Teo said with a small smile. "So Katara, are you ready?"

"No," Katara said, but she jumped anyway, yelling as she dropped. Amaya hastily opened her glider and went after her, knowing she may need some guidance. The first moments were always the worst, that instant of freefall before the wind caught you and lifted you up into the heavens.

Katara's screams switched to laughter as that moment ended and the air took hold, raising her into the sky. Amaya soared beside her.

"Teo was right, I just had to trust the air!"Katara laughed as she glided.

"Just keep your mouth closed, or you _will_ catch a bug," Amaya warned.

"You know," Amaya said thoughtfully, staring down at Teo on the ground watching them. "I guess he's not so bad. Even if he isn't really an Airbender, he has the spirit of one. He'd make a great monk."

"So you like him then?" Katara asked.

"I suppose so. Why?"

"Well, when you first came here and saw everything that had changed, you were so angry. Why was that?"

Amaya sighed. "Katara, there are seven remaining traces of the Airbenders in this world. Three of them are living, and you travel with them. The other four are the temples. They are the last records of the Airbenders, and I'm the only one who knows exactly where they are, much less how to access them. My people are relying on me so that they don't die. Katara, your race doesn't hinge on you. It does on me."

"I guess I never thought about it like that," Katara said softly. "That's a terrible burden."

"No, it's not," Amaya said shaking her head. "Because… maybe I'm not so alone."

She swooped down and landed next to Teo, the boy who could have easily been one of the best Airbenders to ever live. The way he spoke about air, like it was a best friend, was the way their greatest philosophers and monks had spoken about it. It was the way Gyatso had spoken about it in so many lectures. If there was anyone on this planet who deserved to see the inner sanctum of the Air Temple, it was that boy.

"Teo," she said, landing beside him. "I've given it a lot of thought, and… If you want to see what's inside that door, I'll open it for you."

Teo grinned up at her. "Great!"

"Hey, how do I land this thing?" Katara called from the sky. "What if I- Oh, ack, gak, bug, bug, that was a bug!"

"I got her," Amaya grinned, jumping into the air and soaring beside her. "Alright Katara, bank towards the landing sight and lean forwards, push the nose down. A bit before you land, pull up so you come in softer, and you may have to run a bit before you get your feet back. Don't jerk, just flow. Got it."

"Bank, push down, pull up, flow," Katara recited. "Got it."

She banked, heading for the landing site, Amaya following her. Katara pulled up at the last second, but she jerked. The glider bucked under her and she lost her grip, dropping to the ground with the glider skidding off along the ground before stopping against a fountain.

"You okay?" Amaya asked, landing beside her.

"I'm great," Katara said, giggling and looking very loopy. "Great, just great."

"That's, er, great," Amaya said slowly. "Well, come on, on your feet. I'm opening the room."

"Are you ready?" Katara asked cheerfully as she and Teo waited by the door. "I've seen the one in the Southern Air Temple. It's amazing."

"Well, hold onto your hats, ladies and gentlemen," Amaya muttered, stepping back into a stance before pushing air forwards into the tubes. The same three notes issued from the swirls as they rotated into place, and the doors ground open.

Katara, Amaya, and Teo rushed forwards, eager to see what was inside. Teo blinked, Katara recoiled, and Amaya let out an angry shriek. Red, red and black and glinting metal and spikes and weapons and the Fire Nation symbol everywhere.

"No," Amaya growled. "No!"

"You don't understand, I can explain."

"Oh, I understand, Amaya said, before whirling to point a damning finger at the inventor. "You're making weapons for the Fire Nation."

"You're making weapons for the Fire Nation?" Sokka repeated, taking an angry step towards the inventor.

"Let me explain," the inventor said, sagging as if he wore the weight of the world like a mantle. "It was just after we moved here, Teo's too young to remember, but the Fire Nation came and found us. They wanted to burn everything, raze it to the ground. I begged and pleaded with them not to destroy this place. They asked what I had to offer. I gave them the only thing I could: my service. Please understand Teo, I did this for you." He took a step towards his son, who turned away and refused to look at him.

"No," he said. The inventor stared at him, his expression unreadable, before turning and slumping away.

"Teo, I have to talk to him," Amaya said softly. "I… I can understand why he did what he did."

"You can?" Sokka demanded. "Amaya, how?"

"Remember when Zuko came to your village?" Amaya asked. "I gave up my freedom so the villagers wouldn't suffer. That's what he did. He gave up his most prized thing for his people. His service, just like I gave my freedom."

"I want to come with you," Teo said. "I need to know more."

Amaya nodded, walking behind Teo and grabbing the handles of his wheelchair, pushing him down the hall and towards his father's inventing room. They found him leaning on a table in front of a strange balloon with a candle burning under it in a basket, floating in the air by his head.

"We need to talk," Amaya said tersely. "When are they coming?"

"Soon." At a few pops form one of the spark powder candles, he added, "Very soon."

"You can't do this anymore."

"I don't have a choice," he said miserably. "If I don't give them what they want they'll destroy this place."

The balloon burst into flame and he bent down to put it out with a wet towel.

"How can I be proud of you if your inventions are being used for murder?" Teo demanded.

"I- I need time to think."

A bell rang to his right and the inventor's face paled. That was enough for Amaya to figure out what the bell meant.

"You don't have that," Amaya said.

"You have to go," the inventor hissed.

"No, we have to stay," Amaya said tensely. "And you have to end this."

"Just hide then!" he said, fluttering his hands at them frantically. Amaya pushed Teo behind a large wing, the only thing nearby big enough to conceal him. His father pulled a string and a section of the floor pulled back, an old man with a long silver beard and grand red robes rising out of the hole.

"You know better than to keep me waiting," he said threateningly. "Just give me what you owe us so I can be on my way." Teo's father hung his head. "_Well?_ Is there a _problem?_"

"T-This way," Teo's father said, gesturing to the open door. As the Fire Nation man moved towards it, a gust of air slammed it shut and suddenly the way was blocked by a crouching Amaya, one hand on the floor and the other out and ready to attack.

"So sorry," she smirked. "You must be _this_ awesome to ride."

"The Avatar!" the man blinked, and the fact that he didn't attack made Amaya believe that he was a noble, a man meant more for messages than battle. It was possible he couldn't even bend.

"In the flesh," she grinned.

"Amaya, don't get involved!"

The man pointed at Teo's father warningly. "If I don't get what I want, the Fire Nation will burn this place to rubble!"

"Come try," Amaya challenged. She swung a sharp right hook, a wave of air slamming the man's head to the side. "I'll be waiting."

"Then the destruction of this temple is on your head!" the man cried.

"I could put your head on the temple. The tallest spire," Amaya said darkly. "Would you prefer that?"

The man's eyes widened and he stepped onto the plinth, riding it down quickly, Amaya slammed the door shut on top with a wave of air.

"We have to find Sokka and Katara," Amaya said immediately after. "We need to organize defenses and strengthen weak points before they arrive."

Teo and his father looked at her in surprise.

"You've done this before, haven't you?" Teo asked nervously.

"Fighting for my life?" she said with a dry smile. "Oh, I'm sort of an expert by now. Come on Teo, I don't know how the temple's changed and you do. We'll need you."

The boy's eyes flicked to his father for a moment before he wheeled out the door in front of her. "Glad to help. Amaya followed him, grinning.

It didn't take them long to find Katara and Sokka making their way across a bridge trying to find _them_.

"The Fire Nation's coming to attack," Amaya said immediately, without preamble. "Teo's father didn't deliver. We don't have much time to get ready."

"You mean you think we can hold them off?" Katara said, blinking in surprise. "With what?"

"We have air power, don't we?" Amaya said, pointing to the gliders filling the sky. "That's something no one else has, that can't be taken away from us. The sky is our domain, and we can make use of that."

"I'd like to help."

They turned to see the inventor standing in the archway, looking unsure as to how his offer would be received.

"Good," Amaya grinned. "You know all the weak points in their technology. We'll need that. Welcome aboard."

* * *

><p>"They're coming!" cried one of the children serving as a sentry. The adults were all back from the edge, readying weapons and preparing gliders. At the cry, hands tightened around shafts and hilts, gripping the handle of gliders tightly.<p>

"Are we ready?" Teo asked nervously.

"Yes, but where's Sokka with the war balloon?" Katara said worriedly.

"I still can't believe he figured that out," Amaya muttered as she opened her glider. "It doesn't matter, I doubt the Fire nation will wait patiently while we get it up. We've got no choice but to go. Everyone ready?" she roared over her shoulder to the men with gliders lined up along the air strip. Affirmatives greeted this, but they were a bit weak and half-hearted in some cases. "Then let's go!"

She ran forwards, jumping into the sky, Teo taking off behind her with a push from Katara. The others followed them up and Amaya lead them in a formation borrowed from the lemurs. She dived, the others following her cue. They pushed through the clouds and were suddenly faced with a line of soldiers armed with spears and swords.

"Fire!" Amaya called, and everyone began pulling bombs from hastily-fashioned harnesses around their waists. Slime burst over weapons and faces, obscuring vision and ruining grips. Fire bombs were dropped to generally more devastation, at times taking out an entire ledge of soldiers.

"Take them out of the sky!" roared one who had kept his head.

"Not gonna happen!" Amaya called to him as she leapt off her glider and air scooterd across the edge of the ledge above, dropping piles of snow ontot he soldier's below. She hopped off back onto her glider.

"We've got them on the run!" she called joyously as she watched them run back down the slopes.

Then the chains came. They shot up without warning, hooking into crevices and divots in the rocks. Grumbling echoed off the surrounding mountains and a fleet of tank-like vehicles with spiked wheels were suddenly crawling up the sheer cliff face. Amaya let out an Airbender curse that would have made Gyatso blush as the slime and fire bombs had no effect.

"We need more slime!" she called as she closed her glider and came in hard and fast at a connecting chain. She jammed the tip into the crevice holding the heavy machine back from falling and applied as much pressure as she dared. The chain popped free and she glowed momentarily, watching the device fall. But then another piton was fire, missing her by inches, and it was slowly creeping upwards again.

She rose up again with the rest of her fleet. Most of the machines had already reached the top and were slowly trundling up the shallow incline to the temple. More bombs were deployed but now there was the added danger of fire blasts from inside the armored cabs. The bombs had as little effect as they had on the slopes. Amaya dropped to the ground, swinging her staff with all her might. She blasted four of the vehicles onto their sides, flipping the last one end over end. She stared, waiting for another trick. The inability to right the tanks seemed an obvious disadvantage, one an inventor as bright as Teo's dad would probably have thought her. Sure enough, the cabs flipped over, the wheel base remaining steady, and they were off again.

Amaya now found herself facing five of the things, and she was very glad when Katara dropped to her side and faced the beetle-like tanks down as well. Working together, they managed to take out four tanks, but more had arrived with foot soldiers in tow.

"Where is Sokka with that war balloon?" Katara said desperately.

"Uh," Amaya said, blinking and pointing. "I think I found him."

The red balloon flew over head, the basket dangling beneath manned by none other than Sokka and the inventor. Gigantic slime bombs hung from the bottom of the basket. They began to fall, swamping the enemy and getting into the cracks of the tanks. It seemed like the wet slime got places it shouldn't have been, because in some cases the tanks just stopped, making a wet, gurgling sound. But Sokka was now out of bombs.

"Fall back!" Amaya called. "Fall back!"

She and Katara ran for the low wall surrounded the temple's lowest layer, vaulting over it and crouching to wait. It was agonizing as the soldiers made their way forwards.

_BOOOOOM!_

The blast echoed off the surrounding mountains, increasing it ten-fold. A cloud of black, foul-smelling smoke erupted around the temple, filling the air with the stench of rotten eggs. Amaya gagged and gasped, clutching her throat with streaming eyes as she waited for the smoke to fade. When it did, it was revealed that the temple was still standing, the world had not, in fact, blown up, and the Fire Nation soldiers were on the run.

* * *

><p>"I'm glad you guys are the ones living here," Amaya admitted. "It wasn't what I thought was best at first, but now I see. It's like you said Teo, you may not have been born here, but you found this place and made it into a home." She scooped up a crab from the ground by her feet. "You're sort of like giant hermit crabs."<p>

"That means a lot coming from you," Teo smiled.

"Air power rules!" Sokka grinned. "You were right Amaya, the Fire Nation can't take the sky away from us, and as long as we have that, we can always drive them back."

Amaya smiled, but she didn't feel it. That war balloon had gone down who knew where. Even with the boiler gone it wouldn't take the Fire Nation engineers long to figure out how the thing worked and get it operational again. And with the sky now being turned against them, focus would be put on anti-air weaponry. The sky could indeed be taken away, if the Fire Nation was determined and cruel enough to do so.

And the scary part was, they were.


	12. In Which Katara Tries to Kick Butt

Amaya was watching absently as a pair of koala otters frolicked on a nearby ice floe, which was pretty much all they'd seen for the past two days. She gritted her teeth as Sokka groaned loudly for the sixth time in as many minutes.

"Can't Appa fly any higher?" he whined.

"Hey!" Amaya snapped, turning around. "You try carrying three people plus provisions and a lemur on your back!"

"I would love to," Sokka snarked, turning around and pointing to his back. "Climb on everybody, the Sokka Express is open for business."

"Both of you, just calm down," Katara said, ever the peace keeper. "Everyone's just tired because we've been flying for two days straight."

"And for what?" Sokka demanded. "All we've seen is a bunch of ice! Let's face it; we're not going to find the Northern Water Tribe."

"We will," Katara assured him. "We just… haven't yet."

"Whoa, that's ice, that's ice!" Amaya's shout drew all attention to the sea in front of them, where sharp spikes of ice had just bloomed out of the water, reaching unerringly towards Appa. They jerked as Amaya steered Appa around another field of spikes, but the ice inched up faster than she had expected, solidifying around Appa's foot. The ice caught, held, and then snapped off, the momentary drag pulling Appa off course and sending him sliding on his side through the water. The water around them froze as Appa righted himself.

Boats began inching around the edges of glaciers they had been using for cover, steered and propelled by men in thick, furry coats, with dark-skinned faces. They surrounded the teenagers out in their little island of ice and stared at them hard.

"Who are you?" called one man.

"What's that beast you're riding?" another demanded.

"I'm Katara, and that's Sokka. We're from the Southern Water Tribe."

"The Southern Tribe!" the first man exclaimed. "You've made quite a long journey. Who is your strangely dressed companion? Why have you come?"

"Er, I'm Amaya, and this is Appa," she said, rubbing the nervous bison's horn soothingly. "He's a sky bison."

"We came because of her," Katara said. "Amaya's the Avatar; she's trying to find a master to teach her Waterbending."

"Avatar!" the man gaped, eyes locking on Amaya. "It is indeed an honor and a privilege, Avatar Amaya."

"Meh, I don't believe it!" called a querulous voice form one of the boats. "How do we know they're who they say they are?"

There was a smack muffled by cloth, and a small cry of pain.

"Be quiet, paranoid old coot," someone muttered.

"Yaka raises a good point," the first man said. "How do we know you are who you say you are?"

"Well, I've got Airbender tattoos," Amaya said, pointing to her face. "And, er, hold on." She reached into her tunic and pulled out a marble. "Check this out!" Holding it between her hands, she set it spinning. The man from the Water Tribe seemed amused.

"Very well, Avatar. You are welcome in the North, as are your friends from our sister tribe. Please, if you'll follow us."

The ice around Appa returned to water and they surged forwards through the ocean, escorted by a small fleet of Waterbenders. They were guided around a few shielding glaciers, slipping through a narrow passage until they reached a wide area of open sea. In front of them was a great snow wall, embossed with a huge rendition of the Water Tribe symbol.

"The Northern Water Tribe!" Katara squealed. "We made it!"

They watched in awe as one of the teams from the boats raised their hands and moved gracefully, opening a low tunnel at the base of the wall. They sailed through it and into a system of levies, the same group closing the gate behind them. Waterbenders lined the tops of the locks, draining water and lowering walls until Appa was able to pass further into the city.

The city itself was a sight to see. It was a winding mesh of water channels, buildings rising out of the sea. Walkways lined the edges of the canals and boats moved along, propelled by Waterbenders. Bridges arched gracefully over the waterways, each of them embossed on both sides with the moon and ocean symbol of the tribe. The whole thing had a modern, yet traditional feel, the grace of everything testifying to just who lived here.

People stopped what they were doing as Appa passed. It wasn't too surprising; how often did one see a giant bison wandering down the street. New seemed to make its way amongst the citizens quickly, and they began seeing bridges with waiting crowds watching eagerly, excited to see the new arrivals as they made their way towards the highest part of the city.

* * *

><p>Amaya grinned. She loved the Water Tribe, it was official. The place was beautiful, the people were kind, and watching them edge closer to Appa cautiously was just too funny. Katara and Sokka were being welcomed with open arms, unsurprisingly, besieged with requests for new and stories of their travels. It had been an uproar and everyone had only just taken their seats at the low tables of the banquet hall. Appa had been supplied with a huge board covered in lush green seaweed by a quartet of skittish Waterbenders who had scampered off when the big animal rose and lumbered towards them.<p>

Chief Arnook rose and silence fell but for the hiss of the huge crab that had just been lowered into the hot spring to cook.

"Tonight," he said grandly, his voice carrying to everyone with the authority of someone skilled in speechifying, "we are joined by our brother and sister from the Southern Water Tribe, Katara and Sokka. And they had brought with the someone who until now many of us believed had disappeared from this world. The Avatar!"

Applause broke out, accompanied by a few whoops form some of the younger people in attendance. Amaya blushed a bit and waved. It was one thing to have a small village wowed at you, it was another to have an entire tribe celebrating.

"And tonight we also celebrate by daughter's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age!"

A young woman stepped forwards. She wore a rich blue coat that looked more like a dress towards the bottom. Her hair was stark white, standing out sharply against her brown skin and bright, ice-blue eyes. It was pulled up elaborately with several decorations holding it in place.

"Thank you father," she said in a sweet voice. "May the great ocean and moon spirits watch over us."

"At least this explains how they whipped up a feast so fast," Amaya murmured. "I sort of wondered." Katara placed a hand over her mouth to cover her snort of laughter.

"And now, Master Pakku and his students will perform for us."

An old man back by two younger students stood on a stage across from the chief's table, three elaborate urns in front of them filled with water. They reached out, pulling the liquid up and streaming it around in increasingly elaborate streams. The two students were undoubtedly good, there was no denying it. However, it was the master that stole the show, his skill evident even in this theatrical setting.

Princess Yue sat down by Sokka and Amaya strained her ears to listen. She had seen his gob-smacked expression when the princess appeared. Sokka attempting flirting. It was a novel concept, sure to be entertaining.

"Sokka," he said, trying to be cool. "Southern Water Tribe."

"It's very nice to meet you," Yue said, her face lighting up with genuine pleasure. Her eyes held interest, and from the faint blush on her cheeks Amaya got the feeling Sokka may not be alone in his little crush.

"So!" he said after a very pregnant pause. "You're a princess!"

Yue nodded enthusiastically, eyes gleaming at the prospect of a conversation.

"You know, back in my tribe, I'm sort of like a prince myself."

Katara heard that last bit. "Prince of what?"

"A lot of things!" Sokka snapped, turning around and giving her a dirty look. "I- Do you mind, I'm trying to have a conversation here!"

"My apologies, prince Sokka," Katara said somberly, bowing as well as she was able sitting down.

"So it looks like I'm going to be in town for a while," Sokka said, turning back to Yue. "Maybe we could… do an… activity… together?"

"Do an activity?" Yue repeated, amused. Sokka turned away and abruptly began shoveling food into his mouth for something to do.

"Smooth," Katara teased.

"Avatar, could you come with me please?" Arnook asked, pulling Amaya's attention away from Sokka's love life.

"Sure," she grinned. "What's up?"

"Avatar Amaya," he said, leading her over to the same stern-faced old man who had preformed. He looked much less imposing up close, Amaya decided. Sort of beanpole-like. "This is Master Pakku. Master Pakku, meet your newest student, the Avatar."

"Just because you're destined to save the world, don't expect any special treatment from me," Pakku said by way of a greeting. Amaya blinked. Okay, she'd survived Jeong Jeong, she could handle a grumpy Waterbender. Maybe she was just catching him on a bad.

"That's okay," she said. "My friend and I are looking forwards to learning from you after we've rested up."

"If you want a vacation, go to a tropical island," Pakku sneered. "If you want to learn, I'll see you at sunrise."

Amaya folded her hands in front of her waist and bowed respectfully. "I look forwards to learning from you tomorrow then."

Pakku sniffed, then turned and walked away. Amaya looked at Arnook, who shrugged, but looked thoroughly unsurprised. So maybe it wasn't just a bad day. Drat.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it!" Katara said for at least the third time since she'd shaken Amaya awake a full hour before their sunrise meeting with Pakku. "I've dreamed about this day my whole life. I'm finally going to learn from a real Waterbending master!"<p>

"Good morning Master Pakku!" Amaya called, waving cheerfully. Normally she wasn;t a morning person, but she was just as psyched as Katara, and it was keeping her from shuffling around like a half-dead penguin.

Pakku jerked and the water he was bending splashed to the ground at his feet. He dropped his hands tiredly. "Oh please, barge right on in, I wasn't concentrating or anything," he said sarcastically.

"Ah, sorry," Amaya winced. Pakku turned to face them, his eyes flicking to Katara in a brief cursory examination. "This is Katara, the friend I told you about."

"Ah," Pakku said, bending an icy lounge chair out of the ground and sitting down. "Then I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding. In our tribe, women are forbidden to learn Waterbending."

"What do you mean you won't teach me?" Katara said angrily just as Amaya exclaimed, "You've got to be kidding me!" Amaya took a step back and let Katara handle this one. The girl stalked forwards, hands on her hips angrily.

"I didn't travel across the entire world just so you could tell me no."

"_No."_

"But there must be other Waterbenders in your tribe!" Katara protested.

"In our tribe, women learn from Yugoda to use their powers for healing."

"I don't want to heal, I want to _fight!_" Katara shouted.

"I can see that," Pakku said dismissively. "But our tribe has rules, customs. I won't flout them for _you."_

"But you're teaching Amaya!" Katara pointed out. "_She's_ a girl!"

"She's also the Avatar. She's the only exception I'll make."

"Katara," Amaya said softly. "Calm down. We can't make him teach you."

"So you're just going to sit there and let him do this?" Katara demanded, whirling on her.

"I don't like it," Amaya said sharply. "I don't like it anymore than you. But he's not going to budge. Besides, healing wouldn't be so bad, wouldn't it?"

"I can't believe you!" Katara said, throwing her hands up in the air. "The whole reason we started out in the first place was because you offered to take me here so I could train! Don't you remember?"

Amaya remembered.

"_Where do you think you're going?" Sokka demanded._

"_To the North Pole!" Katara replied angrily. "Amaya's taking me to find a Waterbending Master!"_

"_I am?" Amaya blinked, surprised. They had talked about it, but she didn't think Katara would actually go with her. "Cool!"_

"I hope you and that big jerk have fun together!" With that, Katara stomped off angrily.

"Katara!" Amaya called after her, but Katara didn't even pause, to busy fuming. "Katara, wait!"

Katara was gone already. Amaya turned to stare at Pakku, eyes glowing angrily.

"Alright, let's get one thing straight now," Amaya said. "As of right now, I don't like you."

"That's fine, the feeling is mutual. Shall we get started?"

Three hours later, Amaya was cursing the fact that she had stayed with Master Pakku to train instead of running after Katara. She had hoped to go after the girl once her lesson was done and explain herself, but that was looking like never, and Pakku was looking like he needed a good airing out.

"You're moving the water around," Pakku said, absently stirring the steam above his hot soup. "But you're not feeling the push and pull."

"I'm trying," Amaya growled as she concentrated on the water in her hands.

"Perhaps that move is to advanced for you," Pakku said before slurping up his soup. "Maybe you should try something simpler."

Amaya had to restrain herself from throwing the whole wave at the man, instead hurling it to the ground and growling.

"If I have one more teacher tell me to feel something, I'm going to snap," she mumbled, remembering Jeong Jeong trying to get her to _feel the sun_. "I'd almost Firebend just to teach this guy a lesson." Katara's pained scream echoed in her ears. "No, no I wouldn't."

"Are you through muttering to yourself?"

"Okay, but I may drop him from a few hundred feet."

* * *

><p>"Hey," Amaya said sheepishly when she returned to the rooms they were sharing. The entire thing was lined in furs, making it cozy warm, even though Amaya would have preferred some other form of insulation. Katara looked up from her poking at the fire. "Look, about earlier, I'm sorry, I just…"<p>

"You have to train," Katara nodded. "I know. I was just mad."

"So I'm forgiven?"

"Yeah."

"Good," Amaya grinned, hugging Katara, who grinned, before flopping onto the ground and presenting her back to the fire. "So, what did you do today?"

"I went to the healing lesson," Katara said, visibly perking up. "And you'll never guess what I found out!"

"How to heal?" Amaya suggested drily.

"Well, yes, but… Gran-Gran was born here!"

"Say what?" Amaya said, sitting up interestedly. "No way!"

"Yes! That's what I thought too! But Yugoda recognized the necklace Gran-Gran gave my mom. She told me it was a betrothal necklace, and Gran-Gran ran away to escape an arranged marriage to the guy who carved it for her!"

"Who was it?" Amaya said interestedly. "Did she tell you?"

"She didn't," Katara said sadly. "I'd love to know who it was though. Apparently she and Gran-Gran were friends though. I think I might go back tomorrow to try and find out more about her childhood."

"So healing: not a total pit of despair?" Amaya said with a teasing grin. Katara laughed.

"Not totally."

Sokka stormed in then, face black.

"So how's warrior training?" Amaya said, smirking as she leaned back against a pillow. Sokka picked a pillow and then flopped forwards, face-planting into it.

"Mts mnsmfs mooey."

"Sorry, what now?" Amaya chuckled.

"It's princess Yue," Sokka grumbled, pulling his face out of his pillow and punching it into place. "One minute she wants to go out with me, the next she's telling me to buzz off." He sighed and seemed to gather himself up. "So, how'd splash school go?"

Katara flopped face-first onto her sleeping bag.

"Master Poophead wont teach her," Amaya said darkly. Sokka just raised an eyebrow.

"So why don't you?"

Katara shot up onto her knees. "Sokka, that's a great idea! At night, Amaya can teach me what she learned. She gets to practice, and I get to learn. Everyone's happy!"

"I'm not," Sokka huffed.

"You don't count," Amaya said, taking the sting out of her words by affectionately ruffling his 'warrior's wolf tail' that was really just a ponytail. She and Katara ran out into the night, looking for a good spot to practice. The regular training grounds were out of the question, as Mater Pakku could easily show up there.

They ended up in the shadow of a bridge, the only light streaming from the moon. It was wide and flat, with a gentle slope down to the water. Amaya pulled a stream of water free and slipped through a form, raising a foot before placing it back down.

"Master Pakku said this was all about sinking and floating," she said. "I personally think he has midnight sun madness, but maybe it's a Water Tribe thing."

Katara pulled the water towards herself and attempted the move, following Amaya's move perfectly The water flowed where she willed it.

"That was great!" Amaya praised. The water shot from Katara's hand, swirled around her, and then shot up into the sky. Amaya gaped. "You've been holding out on me Katara. How'd you do that?"

"I didn't," Katara said.

"I did."

"We're screwed."

They looked up to see Master Pakku on the bridge above them, a foot on the railing and glaring down thunderously. A stream of icicle daggers lined the edging in front of him, showing where the water had gone.

"I was just… showing her what I did today?" Amaya tried, though it was a weak excuse. They were caught, and everybody there knew it.

"You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture," Pakku said, his scowl a force of nature as he spoke coldly. "Do not bother coming to lessons tomorrow, I refuse to teach you."

* * *

><p>"I cannot force Master Pakku to take your friend back as student," Arnook said helplessly. How Katara had managed to get a council meeting called on this matter in all of ten hours Amaya had no idea, but she had managed it, but now she, Sokka, and Katara stood in front of Arnook, Yue, Pakku, and some of the tribe's top men.<p>

"Please," Katara begged.

"I suspect he may agree if you swallow your pride and apologize," Arnook suggested, a hint of steel in his voice. He obviously wasn't thrilled with the blatant rule-flouting either.

"Fine," Katara snarled.

"I'm waiting," Pakku chirped, his expression mockingly expectant.

"No!" Katara shouted, swinging her fists. "No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!" Cracks formed in the floor beneath her and two decorative urns shattered, spilling water all over the floor. Amaya blinked, taking a step back.

"Is this how I got out of the iceberg?" she hissed to Sokka.

"Pretty much."

"Katara, maybe you should calm down," Amaya said, hoping Katara wouldn't raise another century old frozen person out of the ground.

"No! I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me!" Katara whirled, having issued her challenge, and stalked out of the room with her head held proudly. Yue gasped, the other men gaping. Pakku just seemed annoyed and unimpressed.

"I'm sure she didn't mean that," Amaya said hastily.

"I'm pretty sure she did, Amaya," Sokka said. Amaya smacked him.

"Let's not get your sister killed, kay?"

"Okay," Sokka agreed, rubbing his shoulder ruefully. They chased after Katara, catching her as she stomped down the stairs. "Katara, wait! You're not going to win this fight!"

"I know, and I don't care!" she snapped, throwing her coat to her brother.

"I can find another teacher, it's not a big deal," Amaya said.

"This isn't about you, this is about someone needing to teach that old man a lesson!" Katara said, turning to face the stairs. She didn't have to wait long before Pakku began making his way down. "So, you decided to show up?" Pakku just walked on past her. "Hey, aren't you going to fight?"

"Go back to the healing huts where you belong," was all Pakku said. Katara scowled. Water slipped up from the ground into her hand. She flicked her wrist like she was brandishing a whip, water slapping against Pakku's head. He paused and turned to her.

"Fine," he said. "You want to learn to fight so bad, study closely!"

He raised his arms and two pools erupted, the water flying into the air and swirling around him. Katara charged, but the water knocked her back. She scampered to her feet and the water spun a circle around the two fighters, cutting them off from the outside. Katara stumbled forwards and the circle tightened, losing her balance. She swung and arm to redirect the water and it flew away, slamming into Sokka.

Katara ran at Pakku and he raised an icy wave, protecting himself. Katara slid over the top and landed on the end of the stairs. Pakku turned the ice to water and sent the wave rushing towards her. Katara rotated her feet, locking them in ice, and accepted the blow, spinning it around herself and diffusing it.

'You can't knock me down!" she proclaimed.

"Go Katara!" Amaya cheered over the whoops of the watching crowd.

Katara jumped down and ran at Pakku, who raised an icy wave, but Katara turned it back to water and shoved it away. They were dueling hand to hand, and one might have expected Pakku's age to be an infirmity, but he calmly dodged all of Katara's punches and waved his arms, sending her flying with a wave of water to splash into one of the pools.

Katara was up quickly, along with a newly-formed pillar of ice that she slung disks from. Pakku shattered them all, dodging the last as Katara clambered out. She sent a wall of water towards him which he accepted and turned around, working it so that it jetted at her from around his shoulders and sent Katara sprawling back on her bag. She hopped up, panting, her hair a wreck, and brought her hands down. A stack of carved snow columns teetered and feel towards Pakku he quickly removed their shape and he was suddenly standing in a very localized snow shower.

"Well, I'm impressed," Pakku admitted. "You are an excellent Waterbender."

"But you still won't teach me, will you?" Katara asked shrewdly.

"No."

She sent a roll of water towards him and Pakku lifted himself into the air on an ice plateau, turning it to water and rushing forwards on the crest of the wave. Katara slung more water at him but her merely directed the mater into a ramp around her, icing over it and knocking her down as he slid past, landing lightly on a ledge. Katara hit the ground in front of him. She stood as Pakku raised the water out of the pool and turned it into crystalline javelins that fell precisely around Katara, pinning her.

"This fight is over," Pakku proclaimed, walking past her. Katara struggled, but couldn't get free.

"Come back here, I'm not finished yet."

"Yes , you are," he said, but he paused and picked up something from the ground. Amaya recognized the blue ribbon. Katara's necklace. She really needed to figure out how to get that to stay on better.

"This is my necklace," Pakku said.

"No it's not, it's mine, give it back!" Katara shouted.

"I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life," Pakku said, looking mournfully into the distance. In his distraction, the ice around Katara sloshed to the ground as water. "For Kanna."

"My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?" Katara asked, confused.

"I carve this when we got engaged," Pakku said softly. "I loved her so much."

"But she didn't love you, did she?" Katara asked, stepping forwards. "She wouldn't let your tribes stupid customs run her life, so she ran away."

Without warning, Yue burst into tears and ran away crying.

"Go on," Amaya encouraged Sokka when he hesitated. "Go win yon maiden fair, idiot."

* * *

><p>"Keep practicing and you might get it by the time you're my age," Pakku said, but the bard was more teasing than scornful now, and Amaya knew exactly what brought about the change. That didn't mean she didn't really want to hit him though.<p>

Katara ran up, panting.

"What do you think you're doing?" Pakku demanded, his face set in its usual stony way, before softening. "It's past sunrise. You're late."

"Great to see you here, Katara," Amaya grinned.

"Great to be here," Katara smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, competition time people! I want fanart! A scene from the story, how you see Amaya, one of the dreams, anything. Deadline for submissions will be September 13th. Just send me a PM or leave me a review with the link. I will pick the best one and that person will get to come up with a name and background for an Earth Kingdom woman who will play a decently sized role in the next two stories covering Books 2 and 3. Just be aware though, the woman does have to be fairly old, probably somewhere around Iroh's age. Sound good?<strong>


	13. In Which Not Good is Screamed

"Does this scream 'not good' to anybody else?" Amaya said softly as the black snow fell from the sky. Katara and Pakku were staring up at the sky, the other students looking confused.

"Soot," Katara said softly. "It's the Fire Nation. They're coming."

"Then we're going," Amaya sid, standing up sharply.

"No," Katara said, shaking her head.

"No?" Amaya blinked. "But we've got to lead them away, like Kyoshi."

"It won't help," Katara said, shaking her head. "There's so much. This isn't just one ship here for you Amaya. This is a fleet, probably more. This is an invasion."

"Come," Pakku said grimly. "We must go to the meeting hall."

The students scrambled up and followed him as he lead them down the street and into the hall where the rest of the tribe was converging, looking confused and very, very worried. Katara and Sokka quickly found Sokka, who looked rather sad, and took a seat at the edge of the hall. The nervous mutterings of the room faded as Arnook rose to speak.

"The day we have always feared has finally come. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness that I call my family here, knowing that some of them are about to leave our midst forever. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits. Spirit of the Moon, Spirit of the ocean! Be with us! I need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

"I'll go."

Amaya and Katara blinked as Sokka shot upright, speaking loudly and signing himself up for what sounded like a suicide mission from the way Arnook was talking.

"Sokka!" Amaya hissed.

"What are you thinking?" Katara added.

"Be warned," Arnook said as others rose. "Some of you will not be coming back from this. Come forwards and receive my mark if you accept this task."

Sokka moved forwards with the crowd of volunteers. He stood in line and waited, bowing as Arnook painted three wavy red lines on his forehead. He paused at the edge of the raised dais and turned, giving Yue a heart-broken look. It clicked for Amaya then. She rejected him. And from the look of the tears trailing down her cheeks, she didn't want to. Why then?"

Amaya had more important things to worry about as the last of the men got their mark and everyone filed out, quiet and somber and scared. Amaya perched on a post outside, glider leaning against her arm as she stared out over the sea towards the Fire Nation fleet, though she couldn't see them yet.

"The stillness before battle," Arnook said behind her. "The quiet dread is the worst part."

"I wouldn't know," Amaya said. "I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people." She stood, placing the butt of her glider firmly in the ground and throwing back her shoulders. "But I'm going to make a difference this time. They are not leaving here victorious."

Amaya found herself assigned to guard the gate, the front line. She stood on the wall and squinted with Katara, Sokka, and other soldiers, staring at the horizon for the first sign of the Fire Nation. It came in the form of a wobbly black dot that appeared, growing slowly larger. Just as they began to make out the vague shape of a ship, a huge ball of orange flame was launched into the air.

"Get ready!" Amaya called. The ball arced over the water to slam into the wall below their feet. The snow lurched, sections falling away entirely and taking people with them. The next attack soared overhead to fall further into the town, landing in a canal with a splash that echoed. However,t he third time they weren't so lucky, and the fireball connected with the wall again.

This can't take much more hits, Amaya realized. She jumped up, barely touching down on Appa's head before she shouted, "Yip yip!" The air bison took off, soaring out to meet the incoming ships. If she could get that catapult, she could give them a chance to reorganize before the boat officially landed and the attack began in earnest.

"Appa, go!" Amaya commanded as she jumped off, streamlining her body so she came upon the ship fast. She opened her glider to catch herself at the last second before closing it and dropping to the deck, already swinging the device viciously. An arc of air swept across the deck, throwing the soldiers back. She ran to the first catapult, jumping back onto the arm when a soldier wielding a heavy hammer came at her. More hammer-wielding Firebenders came forwards, backing her up on the arm. Two more appeared at her sides and Amaya jumped over the synchronized strike that was designed to take her out. The hammers badly dented the metal and she struck that place with a concentrated beam of wind, the force making the machine literally fall apart.

She jumped again, landing on the next catapult and scooping up one of the hammers with a grunt of effort. She slammed it into the chain and then fired a blast of air behind her as she pushed off, taking out the soldier behind her and firing the catapult. It lurched, shook, and then the chain snapped, rendering it useless. Leaping free from the wreckage, she came to the last two catapults, their nets resting empty beside each other on beck.

Remembering Gyatso's, penchant for saying she could get herself into so many tangles it wasn't natural, she picked up the chains and knotted them randomly. There was no rhyme or reason, even in her mind. She leapt over a fire blast and onto the platform of a catapult, kicking the release mechanism. The arm swung forwards, the tangled chains catching and holding, dragging the second forwards to crash intot he first. They both collapsed in a hunk of twisted metal.

Turning to the last catapult, she grabbed a dropped hammer and made to bash the release mechanism to pieces when clinking chains caught her attention. She jumped just in time to avoid the attack from the biggest soldier she had ever seen, using a weapons he had no idea existed. Two hammers tied to chains that he swung like they weighed nothing more than a pebble. She ducked behind the catapult, thinking quickly for a way out of this, and felt cold chain wrap around her stomach and under her breasts. She was yanked against the metal of the siege weapon and felt her spine protest as the other end was heaved on. The chains suddenly gave way and she shucked them hastily to see Appa dumping the man overboard.

"Thanks buddy," she grinned, jumping onto his head. Behind her, a column of ice ripped through the metal of the ship, destroying the catapult. More ice columns broke the water around the ship and Amaya glanced over the sides to see several Waterbenders out on their boats, lifting the Fire nation craft aloft. She was reminded of the ship in the Southern Water Tribe. So that's how it was done.

"Waterbenders ahoy!" she called down, grinning as Appa hauled her into the air. Her grin faded as her eyes looked at the horizon.

Ships. Ships as far as the eye could see. At least thirty rows of five ships, and if they were all equipped the same way, that was a stupidly huge amount of catapults for her to destroy. The next thing she said wasn't very nice.

For the next five hours she attacked ship after ship, taking out catapults and soldiers where she could. She knotted chains, destroyed release mechanisms, ruined fireball after fireball, and she still barely put a dent in the enemy's forces. She was grateful when she saw them stop for the day, putting down anchor not a mile from the wall that still held, though barely. She got on Appa, dodged a fire blast, and flew back to the city, landing tiredly just inside.

"Amaya!"

She looked up to see Yue and Katara running towards her as she slid tiredly off Appa. She looked like lemur poo, and she knew it. Her tunic was singed, hair stuck out of her braid randomly, her face was smudged with soot, and she had a burn across her right calf.

"I can't do it," she said softly.

"What happened?" Katara asked.

"There's so many," she said. "I took out I don't know how many ships but they just keep coming. I can't stop them all."

"But, you have to!" Yue stressed. "You're the Avatar."

"I'm also just a teenage girl who's out of her time," Amaya said, placing her head on her knees. She heard Katara kneel beside her and felt a mitten land on her shoulder. She knew the gesture was meant to be comforting, and she appreciated it. That didn't change the fact that there were a hundred ships out there still fully operational though.

But she appreciated it.

"I need somewhere to think," Amaay sighed, standing. "Somewhere to calm down. I'm shaking."

Katara looked at Amaya's hands. She was. Badly.

"Come with me," Yue said. "I know a place. It's where I go when I'm upset."

Katara pulled one of Amaya's arms around her shoulder and she leaned against her gratefully. Her muscles felt like jelly and she was barely awake enough to stand, yet she was too hyped up to sleep. Yue lead them up a few flights of stairs and down a hall to a balcony that looked out over the sea. There was an unobstructed view of the moon directly in front of them, gleaming full in the night.

"Legends say the moon was the first Waterbender," Yue murmured softly as Amaya leaned on the railing and listened. "Our ancestor's saw how she pushed and pulled the tides and learned to do the same."

"I've always noticed my bending is stronger at night," Katara wondered.

"Our strength comes from the spirit of the moon," Yue said. "Our life comes from the spirit of the ocean. They work together to keep the balance."

"Spirits!" Amaya exclaimed, jerking upright. "That's it! Maybe they can help us!"

"What do you mean?" Yue asked, frowning in confusion.

"Amaya is the bridge between this world and the Spirit World," Katara explained. "She can talk to them.

"And get them to help us," Yue realized. "They could give you the wisdom to win this battle."

"Or unleash some awesome spirit attack on the Fire Nation and kick their rear ends back to Ember island!" Amaya grinned maniacally. She saw the looks she was getting. "But, hey, wisdom works too."

"the only thing is you don't really know how to get there," Katara said. "Last time it was an accident."

Yue straightened suddenly. "Come with me!"

Amaya looked at Katara, shrugged, and they came with her. She lead them to one of the highest points in the city and stopped beside a small doorframe, the round door barely big enough for a toddler to walk through.

"So, this leads to the Spirit World?" Amaya said skeptically.

"No," Yue laughed. "But it does lead to the most spiritual place in the North Pole."

Amaya stepped inside and stared. It was warm, steam rising from the pool in front of her, fed by a waterfall at the back of the cavern. An ice ledge ran along the edge of the pool, leading to a tiny island covered in grass. The only things there were a torii arch and a small thicket of bamboo. Amaya ran along the ledge and hopped over the bridge to the island, disregarding it completely, landing in the grass and grinnig.

"Grass, I never thought I'd miss you!" she squealed, rolling over in the lush plant. "Aang would love this!"

"Who's Aang?" Katara asked. It was a new name to her.

Amaya's face fell. "Old friend," she said, and left it at that, rolling onto her side and making to get up. However, her eyes was caught by one feature of the island she hadn't noticed before. A small pond, two koi fish circling each other. One was black with a white spot on its head, the other black with a white spot. Amaya crawled towards the edge of the pond.

"Hey, you! Get away from there!"

Amaya looked up sharply to see a scowling woman emerge from the bamboo. She wore traditional Water Tribe clothes and had a pretty, if severe face. She looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties.

"Mikazuki!" Yue smiled, rushing forwards to hug the woman tightly. "I didn't know you would be here tonight."

"I'm always here the nights leading up to the full moon, it's my job," Makizuki said drily, hugging Yue tightly.

"Amaya, Katara, this is Mikazuki," Yue said, pulling away from the woman. "She's our priestess. Mikazuki, this is Katara, and Amaya, the Avatar."

"Well, the Avatar, huh?" Mikazuki said, raising an eyebrow. "I guess I can give you clearance then. From what I hear, Air Nomads are very fond of spirituality. Not like kids today, they think this is a pretty romantic place to come and kiss and… so other things I shan't mention in front of children," she finished loftily. "Hey! Get your lemur out of the pond!"

Amaya turned and saw Momo's arm digging through the water, trying to catch one of the fish.

"Momo!" she scolded sharply. She lemur withdrew nervously and chattered, running for cover behind Katara's leg.

"So, are you a Waterbender too?" Amaya asked Mikazuki, who shook her head.

"No. I'm just a priestess. I give offerings to the gods on the nights before and after the full moon, and I keep the shrine clean. It's pretty simple."

"This place is amazing," Katara said. "It's so peaceful. It just feels spiritual."

"It is," Mikazuki nodded. "I come here and pray some days when I'm upset. Speaking of which, why are you three here?"

"Amaya's trying to commune with the spirits and get their help to fight the Fire Nation," Yue said happily.

Mikazuki blinked. "Huh. You can do that?" Amaya nodded. "Well, I guess I'll leave you to do your Avatar things then. I'm finished here anyway, and I've got to get down to the healing huts. I may not be able to heal, but I can bandage like nobody's business. Nice meeting you."

"Nice meeting you too," Katara said politely as Mikazuki waved and walked off.

"This will work," Amaya said. She sat down under the arch and assumed a meditative position, her fists pressed together so that the tips of her arrows almost touched. She sat and breathed, in and out, just like the monks had taught her.

"Why's she sitting like that?" Yue asked, and Amaya twitched.

"She's meditating, trying to cross over into the Spirit World," Katara explained quietly. Amaya blinked. "It takes all her concentration."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Yue asked. Amaya's eyes snapped open.

"Shutting up would be awesome!" she snapped. "Sorry guys, but I need quiet here!"

Sighing to release the tension, she turned and her eyes caught the koi fish. They were circling, going around and around and around and around, around, around…

Amaya's tattoos flared.

"What's happening?" Yue cried worriedly.

"She's crossing over into the spirit world!" Katara smiled.

"We should go get help," Yue said, moving for the door.

"No," Katara said, stopping her. "She's my friend, I can take care of this."

"Well, aren't you a big girl now?"

"No…"

"Yes," Zuko said as he crossed the bridge. Yue ran while Katara sank into a bending stance, and it was a lucky thing too. Zuko came forwards in a flurry of kicks and punches. Katara pulled water from the pool and raised it in front of her as a shield. In a brief pause, she flung it forwards and threw Zuko backwards. He hit the ground with a grunt.

"You've learned a new trick," he said, pushing himself to his feet. "But I didn't come all this way just to lose to you."

He shot a fire blast at her and Katara wrapped it in water, putting it out. She threw more water, throwing Zuko back and icing the ground leading up to him, freezing his feet in place. She pulled water up and swayed her arms widely, wrapping it around him into an orb before freezing it. The prince could be seen through the thin pane of ice, scowling thunderously.

"You little peasant," he growled. "You've found a master, haven't you?" The orb glowed, turning from clear blue to bright, glaring orange. It finally exploded and Zuko leapt free, coming forwards explosively and advancing steadily despite Katara's attempts to knock him off his feet or restrain him. He moved until they were dueling in close quarters, and he seemed to have the upper hand. He snuck around Katara and reached for Amaya, his hand brushing her messy braid. A gush of water threw him against the wall and forced him up it, knocking him out and holding him there, unconscious.

Until the sun rose. It crept over the horizon, slowly illuminating the city, and bathing the boy pinned to the wall in heat. He suddenly regaine consciousness with an angry snarl, melting the ice holding him prisoner and rushing at Katara. He punched, throwing a fire blast at her. Katara wasn't quite quick enough to block it this time, and was pushed back against one of the support poles for the arch.

When she smoke cleared, she saw Zuko standing there, Amaya draped over his shoulder, still glowing and limp.

"You rise with the moon," he proclaimed. "I rise with the sun."

Katara's world faded to black.

When light finally returned, Appa was landing with Yue and Sokka on his back. Sokka slid off the air bison and ran to her.

"Where's Zuko?"

Katara looked around frantically, but was forced to accept it.

"He took Amaya," she sobbed. "He took her right out from under me."

Sokka hugged her tightly. "Where did they go?" he murmured.

* * *

><p>Zuko was cold. That was his predominant feeling, up on this plain with the snow falling and the wind slapping at his ruthlessly. He quite literally wasn't made for this. He craved the hotter climate of the Fire Nation. However, he did have one source of heat outside his Firebending.<p>

The Avatar was draped over his shoulder, unconscious, or ill, or… something. He honestly wasn't sure. He's seen her like this once before, tattoos and eyes blazing with that ghostly blue inner light, but then she had been high above his ship, standing in a funnel of water and staring down at him with fury on her face. In that moment, he had been honestly afraid of her.

But now was different. It was like she was here physically, but not mentally. There was a limp body that barely breathed, but still helped keep him warm. That was all. There was no impressive tornado of water, no hateful look.

In fact, the last time she had look at him, it hadn't been hateful in the slightest. In fact, the past several times they had locked eyes there had been no hate. At the Fire Festival, there had been no hate, in fact nothing negative at all. There had been a teasing twinkle in her eye, along with something that looked almost like caring, but couldn't really be. What kind of person would care for someone who had attacked her and her friends repeatedly?

But he had saved her once, and she had kissed him twice in repayment. The first time he could understand, she saw him only as rescuer, savior. The next time, though she had known full well who he was, pursuer. He had been unable to move, locked inside his body, with her kneeling beside him, inches away, but him unable to reach out and grab her. It had been torture.

But then she had slipped a cool glass bottle into his hand, and he had been at a loss, until she spoke.

"_Consider this a thanks for the rescue, Mr. Blue Spirit," she had said while pressing the bottle into his motionless hand. He understood then, and all thoughts of capture flew out the window. Smelling salts, but why? "Now we're even," she had continued, and he remembered looking up to see indecision, before she was suddenly too close to make out any of her features. Soft, plump lips brushed his scar and if he could have, he would have trembled. It had always felt so strange to have things touching his scar. The pain was long gone, yes, but the nerve endings were dead. He could feel the pressure of her mouth, feel the light brush of breath heat his cheek, but the actual sensation of skin-on-skin contact was lost to him, and for the first time, he actually wished it wasn't._

_But suddenly it was over, and she pulled away to look at him. Questions pounded in his head. Why give him this little gift, why kiss him, why a lot of things. But his throat wouldn't move, he could barely wrap his lips around the word, "Why?"_

_Then she had beamed down at him, and said, quite plainly, "The mask was in the way last time. I expect I'll see you soon."_

And then she was gone, flying off on the giant cow of hers. It seemed she was always like that. His hunt for her was almost always on his mind, but she herself rarely crossed his path, and even then only for a little while. He would have her, and she would escape. She traipsed in and out of his life like a whirlwind, there and then gone in the blink of an eye.

His eyes were cold and dry. His face was cold. He was cold, and she wasn't helping. He knew she had met Jeong Jeong, so in all likelyhood, she could bend fire. If she'd wake up, they could stay warmer. He'd untie her hands and…

No. No he wouldn't. She'd already tricked her way out of his grasp once, and she wouldn't do it again, funnily enough, she had been a source of fire on that night too. That mask of hers that had sat on his table for so long, for reasons even he didn't know. It was one of the few things that had been found, floating and intact, after the explosion on the ship.

_He couldn't believe it, he really couldn't. He had the Avatar, and he was dancing with her. And she had suggested it. She was enjoying it. In all honesty so was he, but he didn't feel like being honest with himself, because lately that lead to all kinds of questions he didn't know._

_She was warm in his hands, her long-fingers wrapped gracefully around his own, her other hand resting lightly on his shoulder. Her hip under his hand felt especially hot, even more so when she had suddenly pulled him close and challenged his coordination in the extreme with that Air nomad dance of hers. So much spinning…._

_And then, towards the end of their night, when she had suddenly become quiet and withdrawn, after he once again asked her why. _

"_Because…." She had hesitated, just for a moment, and then sighed. "I wanted to. And this time, there wasn't a mask in the way," she added with a grin, before her expression turned contemplative. "And besides, _I know you I walked with you once upon a dream."

_She caught him by surprise with the song, but it had seemed oddly appropriate. He had danced with her in a dream, once before. But then it hit him, how could she knew that? _

_The music ended and suddenly her eyes were glowing coals, fitting the flames adorning her face. "Bye bye, Zuko," she said, before twirling away, once again spiraling out of his life. _

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, we're coming up on the end of Dreams. The sequel will cover Book 2, and the one after that Book 3. My first trilogy! Yeah, I'm excited. This is most definitely the farthest I've gotten on anything before, and I'm loving it. I'm already several chapters into the next story. I absolutely love writing Amaya.<br>**

**Speaking of which, I've had random scenes from either episodes that I've skipped or ones that I didn't spend a lot of time on. I'm trying to decided whether or not I want to post them. If I do, it's probably be it's own story that's updated with random little mini-stories whenever the urge to write Amaya strikes me. What do you guys think, should I?  
><strong>

**A little over a week left for contest submissions, and I haven't gotten a single entry! come on guys, I need help here! Details about the contest can be found in my profile.  
><strong>

**Alright, I think that's it!**_  
><em>


	14. In Which Princes are Kissed

**Here we have it, the penultimate chapter of Dreams!**

* * *

><p>Amaya was… cold. It was strange. Last time she had been in the Spirit World she had been pleasantly warm. But now she was freezing. She supposed it had something to do with the fact that he body was in the North Pole. But the important thing was, she had done it!<p>

This was without a doubt the Spirit World. She recognized the lush, warm swamp, little bits of fog drifting here and there, bamboo popping up sporadically. There was strange, droopy trees all around, stone columns and archways popping up out of the ground, the ruins of some lost buildings that would probably never be remembered.

"Ommm."

Amaya looked up sharply. Someone else was here! But wasn't she the only one able to cross into the Spirit World?

She stood up on her little island of dry land and looked around for the person meditating. It wasn't hard to find him; she saw a figure sitting cross-legged on a large mound of earth not far away, stones balanced in a doorway around him. A tree grew out of the stone, the bottoms of the roots dangling around the man. She jumped across a few stones and ran up the side of the incline, stopping when she was close enough to make out the features.

Okay, not a man. A monkey. A very fluffy monkey in a burnt orange robe, with what seemed to be a necklace of flowers around his neck. A spirit!

"Erm, hello?" Amaya said slowly.

"Go. Away," the monkey said shortly, before popping an eye open. "Uh! You're still here?"

"Yeah, I-"

"_Ommm!" _

"Please, I need to find the ocean and moon spirits!" Amaya said. She swatted at something buzzing by her head, probably a bug of some sort. Then it moved into her field of vision and she saw a ball of bright blue light.

"Maybe that glowing things can help you!" she monkey said. "Chase it!"

Amaya shrugged. Well, he wasn't helping, so what else could she do? So she chased it, jumping from rock to rock until it rose up a tree. She scaled it quickly, running out along a branch and diving for the ball of light. Her hands cupped around it. It was pleasantly warm, and it sort of tickled.

"Gah!" Amaya yelled as the branch under her suddenly vanished and she fell into the water below. The light was gone, she was soaked, and she was covered in mud. "Not cool, Spirit World! Not cool!"

She looked down at the water around her, praying nothing was sneaking up to eat her, and saw the ripples. They seemed to be a strange color. There was nothing that shade of red here that she had seen. But it was a strangely familiar shade of red…

"Roku!" she exclaimed as the ripples straightened out. "You're here!"

"Hello, Amaya," Roku said.

"Roku, I need help. The Water Tribe is under attack, and I need to find the ocean and moon spirits."

Roku's reflection bulged weirdly, a spike of water shooting into the air before resolving into a solid image of Roku. Amaya stepped forwards and hugged his tightly. It was nice to see the old man in person. She hadn't ever actually met him in person. How could she have? He was her!

Roku stiffened a bit in surprise before hugging her as well, gently placing a hand on her back.

"Amaya, you must hurry," Roku said. "The ocean and moon spirit are ancient, they made the crossing to the mortal world very near it's beginning. There is only one spirit old enough to remember."

"Who?" Amaya asked eagerly, releasing the man and stepping back.

"His name is Koh. But he is very dangerous," Roku warned. "They call him the Face-Stealer. When you speak with him, you can show no expression, not the slightest hint, or he will steal your face."

"Of course," Amaya pouted. "Because he couldn't be the… the Bunny-Painter or something nice like that." Amaya cocked her head, listening intently. She- she could hear something, very faintly, like a voice calling her from far away.

"_I finally have you, and I can't get you home because of this blizzard. There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're like my sister. Everything always came easy to her. She's a Firebending prodigy, and everyone adores her. My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck though, I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong, it's made me who I am."_

"Your young man," Roku said. He heard it too.

She knew that voice. Zuko. He had her body then. But still, his words touched her. The sheer determination was staggering. There was an underlying hatred when he spoke of his family, and perhaps a bit of shame. What father would say that to their child, willingly pitting siblings against each other?

Yes, Zuko was strong. But at what cost?

Amaya pressed a hand to her heart. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

* * *

><p><em>"I'm sorry."<em>

Zuko's eyes widened and he whirled as he heard the Avatar's voice. But no, he couldn't have She was still lying there of the floor, hair splayed around her, hands bound behind her back. The tattoos exposed still glowed brightly. She didn't move, she didn't breathe, she didn't speak. He was just hearing things.

But still, it would have been nice if he wasn't.

* * *

><p>Amaya wasn't really sure how she knew where to go. Maybe it was another Avatar thing, but she found herself moving unerringly through the swamp, jumping from rock to rock and trying not to get distracted by all the amazing things here.<p>

She paused and stared up in awe as a giant brown wolf walked past, white stripes running down its side. It didn't even pause to look at her thought, just kept on going.

"Okay, nothing to be worried about," she mumbled to herself as she jumped onto a large mound. A tree grew out of it, thick roots sprawling. Strange light seemed to emit from the bare branches high overhead. There was a dark hole in the mess of roots, and she sensed that she had to go straight into it.

She headed towards the hole nervously, when something moved in the shadows and a loud chattering filled the air. Amaya gasped and recoiled, eyes darting frantically and finding a monkey perched on one of the roots. She sighed, relieved, and giggled at her own skittishness.

"You're just a curly-tailed blue-nose," she murmured to no one in particular. The monkey turned to face her at the sound of her face. Amaya had to slam a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.

It couldn't face her, because it had no face. Just a blank stretch of skin, pulled strangely over empty eye sockets. How did it see? Eat? Breathe? Would it die soon? Would it just go on living until is starved to death? Would it be blind and deaf and unable to eat the rest of its life?

She slowly removed her hand, eyes wide, and carefully composed her face into an expressionless mask. Her mouth was a flat line, her eyes blank, her cheek and jaw muscles slack. She took a series of deep steadying breaths and stepped forwards into the darkness.

As she walked, she thought about how to handle this. She was an expressive person, she knew it, and in this case it could get her killed. So how to keep from accidently letting surprise or fear slip into her eyes? She decided to give the conversation only part of her attention. If she wasn't fully focused, she couldn't be very surprised, could she? Hopefully not. To distract her mind, Amaya began mentally reciting a poem.

_The earth, the air, the fire, the water, the world._

She was in a dirt tunnel, the floor and walls uneven, the ceiling arched not too far overhead. She had to duck and weave to avoid the roots dangling from the ceiling overhead.

"Hello?" she called. "I'm looking for a spirit called Koh."

"Welcome!"

Amaya's breath caught, but her expression remained the same as she bowed and said, "Thank you."

The thing in front of her was like a giant bug, long-bodied and hard-shelled. Multiple legs ran along the body, all clicking whenever the beast moved. Its head was reminiscent of an eye with brown, hairy lids. In place of a pupil was a grotesque face, powdered the traditional white with exaggerated features painted on.

_Our world is filled with elements_

_The elements filled with opposites_

"Well," Koh said as he faced her. "If it isn't my old friend the Avatar."

"I wasn't aware we were acquainted," Amaya said in a monotone.

"Hn, yes. One of your incarnations tried to kill me eight or nine hundred years ago." The brown lid blinked and was replaced with the stern face of a man from the Water Tribe.

_Hot and cold, fire and water._

"I didn't know that. Why did he… _I _try to kill you?"

The lid blinked again and the man's face was replaced with a pretty young woman's, black hair flowing around kind features. "Oh, it was something about stealing the face of someone you loved."

_Hard and soft, earth and air._

The woman's face curled into a snarl and the lid blinked one more, replaced with a monkey's face that opened its mouth wide and laughed, exposing sharp, deadly teeth.

"But that's all in the past, isn't it?" Koh said, slipping around behind her. Amaya's muscles bunched and tensed. She didn't like having that _thing_ where she couldn't see it. It curled all the way around her and this time she turned with the spirit, unwilling to let it out of her sight. "Why should I hold a grudge against you for something your predecessor did?" Two of the legs landed on her shoulder and turned hr so that her back was to Koh. She had to fight to keep the disgust off her face.

_Destructive and gentle, fire and air._

"After all, you're a different person now. You've come to me with a new face."

Amaya took a deep shuddering breath. She opened her eyes and was made vaguely dizzy as Koh rapidly shifted between faces. He settled on an owl finally and began circling again.

"It's been a while since I added a girl's face to my collection." A leg brushed against her cheek and she twitched, but her face remained firm. "And such a smooth, young face too. So, what can I help you with?"

"I need to find the ocean and moon spirits,"

"Their spirit names are Tui and La, push and pull. And that has been the nature of their relationships for all time."

"Please, I need their help. An entire culture will die if I don't find them."

"Oh, you think you need their help," Koh said, turning to face away from her. "Actually it's quite the other way around." He came at her in a rush, an old man's face flicking to an oni's, blue skin and wild red eyes. He paused an inch from her nose and roared, "Someone's going to kill them!"

"What do you mean?" Amaya asked, refusing to be startled.

_Smooth and rough, water and earth._

"How do I find and protect them?" she continued.

"You've already met them actually," Koh said, turning away again. "Tui and La, your ocean and moon. They have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other. Push and pull, light and dark, life and death, good and evil. Yin and yang."

_Yin and yang._

"The koi fish!" Amaya exclaimed, understanding breaking across her face. She carefully schooled it back into blankness as Koh whirled on her with the oni face again.

"I must be going now," she said, and turned and walked away, refusing to look back and give Koh one last chance at her. When she emerged back into the sunlight, she took a deep breath and pressed her hands over her face, letting one sob loose. She had never been in a scarier situation.

"I see you succeeded."

She looked up to see Roku standing on the dirt in front of her. He offered her a hand and she took it, squeezing and closing her eyes, taking a moment to collect herself.

"The spirits are in trouble," she said. "I have to get back to the physical world."

"There is someone here to guide you. And old friend," Roku said, pulling his hand away and pointing. Amaya felt something in her hand, but she ignored it and turned to see a big, soft panda behind her.

"Haibi!" she grinned happily, rushing forwards and hugging the black and white spirit before hopping on. Roku vanished as Haibi took off, moving surprisingly quickly for such a large animal. She clung to tufts of his hair, swaying her hips with Haibi's gait to keep from being jarred so much. He brought her back to that little circle of dry land with the arch over head.

"How do I get back?" she wondered, jumping onto the ground. As she turned to face Haibi, he rose onto his back feet and breathed, bright blue light hitting her. Amaya's eyes widened in surprise as she felt herself flying back to the physical world.

She landed on the soft grass, relishing the feel just as she had in when she first came to the oasis. But the place was empty. Katara and Yue were gone.

"Momo!" she cried, rushing to the waterside when she saw the little lemur. She reached out a hand to pet him but stopped. The hand was transparent and glowed.

"Oh no," she muttered, looking around and remembering. "Zuko took my body. Where am I?"

She was yanked back again and was suddenly up in the air, speeding across the sky, he landscape blurring around her. Everything solidified around her and she was on her side, ropes around her arms and ankle. She was staring at grey rock, and heard the wind howling outside the little cave. She rolled over and blinked.

"Welcome back."

There stood Zuko, but this Zuko looked different. The every-present armor was gone, replaced by loose white clothes of thick fabric, more suited for the cold. His face though was what worried her. His unscarred eye was black, a nasty-looking burn on the left side of his jaw. There were two cut along his forehead, and another across the bridge of his nose. One last cut bisected the right side of his mouth.

"Leave you alone for five minutes and you go and hurt yourself," Amaya said with a small smile, twisted her wrist painfully and digging into her sash. Her eyes widened as they realized the fans were gone, but whatever Roku had put in her left hand was still there. It was wrapped in thick cloth though, so it wouldn't be much use.

"Looking for these?" Zuko asked, pulling the two fans from his vest and holding them up. Amaya sighed and slowly curled her feet up to her chest, bracing them on the ground as she wormed her upper half up the wall behind her. Zuko just watched as she worked towards a standing position.

"I'm sorry your dad likes your sister better," Amaya said bluntly.

"How did you hear that?" he hissed, eyes narrowed. He stepped towards her and Amaya leaned heavily against the wall. "You were unconscious!"

"No, I was in the Spirit World," Amaya corrected, and shuddered as she remembered Koh, the hard shell of his leg brushing her cheek. "And being molested molested by a Face-Stealer."

"You… what?"

"Did you think the Spirit World was all poodle ponies and bright sun?" Amaya chuckled. "Koh. Not the nicest person. But Roku's there." She paused and frowned. "He heard you too. I don't know if all the spirits did. Spirits!" she remembered. "The ocean and moon, someone's going to kill them! You have to let me go, I have to help them!"

Zuko stared hard at her as the Avatar… Amaya started jabbering about spirits being murdered and him letting her go.

"Not happening," Zuko said, grabbing the front of her tunic and pulling her close. "I finally have you, and this time you aren't slipping away."

Amaya stared wide-eyed at the Fire Prince an inch from her face. This close, she could see the damage to his face clearly.

"Let me heal you," Amaya said softly.

"Excuse me?" Zuko said. The certainly wasn't what he had been expecting. She had managed to completely throw him with just four words. She wanted to heal him? Suddenly he was angry with her for everything. For getting away, for confusing him time and time again.

"Why do you do this?" he demanded.

Amaya blinked and leaned back as Zuko yelled in her face. She overbalanced and hit the ground hard, hissing in pain as her head cracked against the rock.

"Do what?" she demanded angrily.

"Help me!" Zuko shouted, turning around and raging at the wall. "You and I are enemies in this! How many times have I kidnapped her and threatened your friends? How many times have I attacked you with the intent to hurt you? How many times, and you're still helping me!" He slammed his hands against the wall. "How do you keep getting in my head?" he whispered, but Amaya heard it anyway.

"Zuko," she began slowly. "Do you… do you dream about me?" He didn't respond. "Zuko? If it makes you feel any better about answering, I dream about you sometimes too. I remember once we were in the Air Temple. I was in my room and you came in."

Zuko turned to face her. "I had the same dream."

"And I remember, once we were… we were married," Amaya said, cheeks flaming red. Why was she admitting this? She had no idea, but it seemed like it was the right thing to do.

"I had the same dream," Zuko repeated. Amaya's eyes widened. They were sharing dreams about each other. How? Why? She would need to think hard about this later, but now she needed to get away, to get back to the koi fish, to Tui and La. She had to do her job.

"Let me heal you," Amaya said, seeking a change of subject, some task to set herself to so that she could get away from the churning thoughts in her head. "You don't even have to completely untie me. Just… just my hands, and you can keep a hold of one of my arms at all times."

Zuko looked at Amaya on the ground in front of him. Her temple was bleeding a bit from where she had hit the ground, yet she worried about him, even working the situation so that he would feel more comfortably. Her expression was so honest, so caring.

Not really conscious of his actions, he knelt behind her and slit the ropes around her arms. She pulled her arms around front and rubbed her wrists, slipping the parcel from Roku into her sash. She turned around, tied ankles stretched out beside her. She pulled snow towards her from outside and melted it, letting the water trail around her fingers. Zuko grabbed a hold of her right wrist as she reached towards him, but he didn't stop her, just kept a firm grip. She placed her left hand over his forehead, healing that cut while her right stayed in place over the burn mark. She continued to heal it as she took care of all the other minor cuts.

It suddenly occurred to her that Zuko was very close that she was cupping his face rather intimately, that his eyes looked more vulnerable than she had ever seen, even when he was paralyzed by shirshu poison. It occurred to her that Zuko was accustomed to fighting and anger. That had been his life; it was a safe zone for him. Comfort, care, those were the foreign things, the things that threw him and made him uncomfortable, and that broke her heart. She leaned forwards slightly, marveling at the man in front of her.

He was flawed physically and emotionally, but he had made so much of what he had been given. He was angry and filled with hate, but underneath that was a heart that was still good, if confused. She knew then the answer to the question she had asked the Blue Spirit. Yes, they would have been the best of friends.

Zuko looked at the Avatar. He felt uncomfortable. Her hands were still on his face, the water brushing soothingly against his cheeks, but she didn't seem focused on healing anymore. She was just staring at him with her lips lightly parted, an expression of awe on her face. Her eyes met his and she smiled softly.

"What are you doing?" Zuko demanded, moving to pull away, fully intending to tie her up again. But her grip tightened, she leaned forwards, and she kissed him. Not over his mask or on the cheek, but a real kiss, her lips pressed to his softly.

He pulled away and pressed himself against the wall, trying to get as far away from her as possible.

"What… what did you…?"

"Goodbye," she said softly, and exhaled. Her breath slammed against the back wall of the cave and she shot out of the opening into the snow. He raced after her, the world suddenly snapping into focus as he fell back into the pattern or capturer and captive, something he was comfortable with before, but something she had just ruined. He now felt a bit of guilt as he raced after her.

She was crawling through the snow pathetically, and he admired her determination as he seized the back of her collar and hauled her upright.

"You think toying with me will help you get away?" he demanded.

"Who's toying?" she deadpanned as the ground shook.

"Amaya!"

Zuko turned to see the two Water Tribe peasants and the Northern Tribe's princess on that giant cow of hers. The girl was hopping down, eyes raring for a fight.

"Come for a rematch?" he asked, lowering Amaya to the ground.

"Trust e Zuko, it won't be much of a match," Katara said.

Amaya watched as Zuko attacked and Katara diffused the flames in a stream of water. She raised her hands and the snow beneath his feet rose up, carrying him into the air and turning to ice, holding him securely. Katara lowered her hands and Zuko slammed to the ground, unconscious.

Sokka ran over and slit the bindings around her ankles.

"This is some quality rope!" he observed as he pulled her towards Appa. Amaya paused before she got on and turned back to Zuko, sprawled in the snow. If they left him, the heat inherent to Firebenders wouldn't be enough to keep him alive.

"Amaya?" Sokka questioned.

"I can't just leave him," Amaya said softly.

"Of course you can," Sokka shrugged, but Katara narrowed her eyes as she head the emotion in Amaya's voice. Sokka was completely in the dark about things like that, but she wasn't. Amaya wanted to take Zuko with them because she cared what happened to him, because she didn't want him hurt. The injuries she had noticed from before were gone, and she knew of only one way that could have happened, if Amaya had healed him.

Amaya looked at Zuko. It wasn't that she simply didn't want him to die, it was so much more than that. She wanted him to live and to act on his good heart instead of his anger, to be the man he would have been if circumstances had been different. That was when she realized. She cared. She genuinely cared about Zuko, what happened to him.

She walked back to Zuko and pulled him up, draping an arm around her shoulder and recalling the last time she had done this. He had saved her, not she was saving him again. For two people who are supposed to be enemies, we sure save each other a lot, Amaya mused, a small smile on her face as she jumped, laying Zuko flat in the saddle.

"Yes, this makes a lot of sense," Sokka grumbled as they took off. "Let's bring the guy that's constantly trying to kill us." He pulled Yue to the complete opposite side of the saddle and kept sending Zuko distrustful glances, while Yue watched him worriedly. Katara, on the other hand, came to sit beside Amaya.

"You like him, don't you?" Katara asked, too quietly for Sokka to hear. Amaya nodded.

"Does that make me a bad person?"

"No."

"Thanks Katara," she said, reaching into Zuko's vest and pulling out the two fans. She slid them back into her sash. Her fingers brushed rough fabric and she remembered the gift from Roku. She took it out slowly and held it up.

"What's that?" Sokka asked, momentarily distracted from glaring at the Fire Prince.

"I saw Roku in the Spirit World," Amaya explained. "He gave it to me."

She carefully opened the fabric bag and held it up. It was the same red as his robes, a gold symbol of the Fire Nation on the fabric. Shaking her head, she tucked it into her sash before examining the object that was inside. Her eyes widened.

It was the ornament Roku wore in his own hair. There was a thick band of red with two gold bands on each side. Two prongs embellished to look like flames curled from each side. There was a red hairpin included as well. Amaya blinked in surprise. This couldn't be the real one, she knew that Roku had been killed and buried when the volcanic island he had been on erupted. None of his artifacts should have made it through the lava.

But then she remembered an old legend that sometimes things that bound to people tightly together, like a wedding ring or an extremely personal gift between two people, could develop their own spirit image. That would make a lot more sense, and explain how Roku had it.

"Amaya, that's Fire Nation!" Sokka exclaimed as she raised it towards her head.

"And this is Air Nomad," she said, gesturing to her clothes. She held up one of her fans. "And this is Earth Kingdom."

She didn't care that the ornament was designed for a man's topknot. She made do with what she had, pulling her braid through the gold loop and letting the end fall over her back. She pinned it in place over the band holding her high braid in place.

"I like it," Katara approved.

Amaya smiled. "So do I."

* * *

><p><strong>I realize the crown is supposed to be with Iroh, and it is. Think of this version as Roku's spirit version. This whole crown thing will come into play later, it's not just some random scene I threw in. The ultimate climax of Book 1 is next. It's shorter than the others, but I decided I'd like to cut this one off here. So, be warned, the next update will be the end of this story!<strong>


	15. In Which Amaya's Journey Ends and Begins

Amaya gasped as a bolt of cold pain shot through her chest, right over her heart. She felt bad all of a sudden, like the world was pressing in around her. Her ears rang. She slammed her hands down onto the saddle next to her and grimaced. High above them, the moon's pure white color was gone, replaced with a sickening red that painted the world bloody.

Yue groaned and pressed her hands to her temples.

"Are you okay?" Sokka asked.

"I feel faint," Yue admitted.

"I feel it too," Amaya said, staring at the sky worriedly. "The moon spirit… it's in trouble."

"I owe the moon spirit my life," Yue admitted softly.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked.

"When I was born, I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when their born, but I was born like I was asleep, with my eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could, but nothing helped. They told my mother and father that I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me. That night, he brought me to the oasis, and beneath the full moon, he placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry. They knew that I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue, for the moon."

"We have to save the moon," Amaya said. "Appa. Yip yip!"

Appa sped up and they were back to the oasis in no time. Amaya's eyes narrowed in hate as she saw Zhao standing there with a moving bag in his hand, soldiers at his back.

"I am a legend now. The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao, who darkened the moon. They will call me Zhao the conqueror, Zhao the moon-slayer, Zhao, the invincible!"

"How about Zhao the lemur head?" Amaya growled as Momo jumped on him, pulling at his face and chattering.

"Get it off! Get it off!"

Momo jumped free and glided over to land on Amaya's arm. She readied her glider, Katara raising her hands to bend and Sokka pulling out his boomerang. Yue crouched on Appa's back, safe in the saddle.

"Don't bother," Zhao sneered, drawing back his arm and pointing his fit towards the bag.

"No, don't!" Amaya shouted. Hating how helpless she was in this situation, she dropped her glider, stepping forwards and raising her hands.

"It's my destiny to slay the moon and defeat the Water Tribe," Zhao said, his eyes crazed. Amaya was never truly afraid of him until now. A crazed man with a spirit as a hostage, believing he was following Fate's plan. What could be more dangerous?

"Destroying the moon won't hurt just the Water Tribe, it'll hurt everyone, including you," Amaya tried reasoning. "It would throw everything out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash!"

"She's right Zhao!"

Amaya turned to see Zuko's uncle standing to the side of the pool in a cloak, staring hard at Zhao. She'd never found him scary either, but suddenly she was reconsidering that too.

"General Iroh," Zhao said. "Why am I not surprised to learn of your treachery?"

"The Fire Nation needs the moon too," Iroh continued. "We all depend on its balance. Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash ten-fold on you. _Let it go!"_

Zhao stood for a moment, seeming to debate, before he hung his head and sank to one knee beside the pool. He held out the bag and the fish slipped back into the water.

Amaya saw what would happen a second before it did. She moved forwards, hand outstretch to do… something, but she didn't know what. Zhao's face contorted into a mask of anger and madness as he roared, bringing his hand swinging down, trailing fire.

"_NO!"_ Amaya roared. _"No!"_

Iroh attacked and quickly dispatched the soldiers, Zhao fleeing as everyone was distracted. Iroh moved to the water and lifted the white fish free. The perfect black circle on its head was now a charred-blackened mess.

"That's it," Yue whimpered. "It's over. There's no hope now." She turned into Sokka's chest and he held her, staring at the fish in surprise.

"No," Amaya said, eyes and tattoos blazing. Her voice echoed with hundred of voices of ages past, thrumming with power. Katara stepped forwards as she saw the snarl on her face, but Iroh held out a hand, stopping her as Amaya took calm, measured steps forwards into the pool. She stopped in the exact center, the water rippling around her as she stood with her arrows facing each other. The black fish stopped, swimming in place in front of her, and they seemed to stare at each other for a moment. Then the fish's eyes and white mark began to glow. Amaya dropped suddenly, sliding below the surface of the water with barely a splash of black water.

The water began to glow, worked through with tendrils of the same light Amaya and the fish held inside them. The light of a spirit. The glow spread through the canals of the entire city, freezing the fighting for a moment. In the oasis, water began sliding forwards into the larger pool, it gathered into a wave that washed over the bridges and bulged up. A glowing fish appeared out of the water, a spot on its head. In the middle of its chest was Amaya, suspended in a globe of light. She raised her arms and the watery fish did the same.

Amaya was locked in some sort of spiritual state, her thoughts with everything and with nothing at the same time. She remembered meeting the eyes of the ocean spirit. The wisdom and age held there even in the form of a fish.

"Will you help me?" a voice had asked in her mind. It was full of a steady, weathering power, the same power of the ocean that wore away stone. There was a quality to it the bordered on dangerous, that spoke of barely contained wrath begging to be unleashed in one brutal storm that would bear everything down to the floor of the sea.

"Yes," Amaya had thought in reply, and then she felt he most amazing sensation.

It was like she was completely blending with the ocean spirit, as if they were one. She could feel the waves brushing against the shores of lands far away, the creatures swimming through the water, the small divots and grooves of the sands beneath. The spirit's sadness and grief and rage was hers as well. The loss of one who had been a partner since the beginning was staggering, and the anger of that partner's death with nearly overwhelming.

She felt as though she was being pulled in many different directions, but it wasn't unpleasant. It was more that she was connected to everything the ocean touched, that its power was now hers to use to seek the spirit's revenge, and to save its people.

She floated there, high above the world like a god. Her mind was reaching out for the city outside her new, expanded form. She saw a group of people fall to their knees. She saw them as a wash of comforting blue. Another group raised their weapons. They were an angry red, like an open wound. She snarled and slashed her arms. Water rose up and washed them away, healing the injury.

She continued through the town, obliterating the red blood bleeding from those awful red ships. She left the soothing blue behind, keeping it safe from harm as she slashed and waved her arms, washing away red stain after red stain.

Red balls flew at her, striking her head, but they did nothing more that annoy her. She waved her arms and obliterated the red lumps the balls came from with malicious glee at her revenge. They were fleeing, but they would not escape. They would pay for this, this loss of the balance she had worked to protect and keep for centuries.

The red ships were trying to get away, but they would. She couldn't allow it. She sank into the water, travelling along the canals and out into the wide ocean. She felt keenly every block of ice that pierced the surface and that slumbered below, and she cared for them all. But these red ships!

She seized two and shoved them hard, sending them flying back, metal hulls screaming against each other as they collided. More red balls came at her from the decks, but she was still not hurt. She sliced away part of the ship and then hacked the weapons firing them to pieces. She raised her hands, the ocean obeying her order and rising into a wave, willingly turning on the ships and washing them backwards, flooding over head and bearing them down to the ocean floor.

There were still more though, out in the blue of the ocean. Still more red ships, stains on the water that didn't deserve to be there.

Suddenly the scene was bathed in white light, a cleansing light that she knew well. She looked up and saw the orb of the moon back in place among the stars, as it should be. Her job, her revenge, was over. She slipped back into the water and through a hole in the wall. The water slipped around her as she was dropped on the wall. She felt the world return to normalcy around her as the glow receded from her. She swayed, leaning against the ledge, and smiled.

The spirits were safe. She had succeeded.

With that thought in mind, Amaya slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>Amaya stood in the city, staring out at the wreckage. She had taken nearly two days to regain consciousness, and it was with a sense of loss that she did. Being connected to something so powerful, so all-reaching, it was incredible, and now it was gone. She couldn't miss the feeling though. It was too potent, she hadn't felt like herself when she had been joined with the ocean spirit.<p>

She hard Katara come up behind her, and turned to face her.

They didn't say anything, just moved forwards and hugged each other. Momo chattered on the ground next to them and they pulled apart.

"You too Momo," Katara said. Amaya held out an arm.

"Come on buddy."

Momo jumped onto her arm, and Sokka placed a hand on her shoulder. There was a growl and Appa rose up beside them. They stared out over the ocean, and Amaya had never felt luckier. She had her family here. It was small, and mismatched, but it was hers, and it was far better than having the seas at her back and call any day.

* * *

><p><strong>Phew! This has been without a doubt the longest and most emotionally-charged thing I've ever written. This is also the first full-length story I've managed to complete, so I'm immensely proud of it! The sequel to this, which takes place in Book 2: Earth, will be up later today so you don't have to wait. It with be called The Call, and I hope you like it as much as Dreams! I know, sort of a short length, but I cut off at kind of a strange place last chapter.<br>**


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